It Isn't Love Unless It Hurts
by dracofan22
Summary: A few weeks ago she made a mistake. A big one. And if anyone found out it could cost her everything. The craziness had to stop, but he just wouldn't leave her alone. Now the only thing that she can do is take matters into her own hands.
1. Let it Be

**A/N: If this is the first time you have read something by me, then you can probably skip this author's note, HOWEVER! If you are a returning reader, you may want to read this. I am here to answer a few questions that have been sent to me through the review board and through e-mail and to give you a little taster of what I hope will be my new story. ALSO, when I write my stories on Word, I put italisised words in between ** i>** and ** /i>** so that when I copy/paste them on to the website, all I have to do is hit "submit". However, when I upload here, it doesnt transfer right, and I have to go back and delete the little ** /b** marks that are all over the place. Sometimes I miss a few, and if you see some, thats what they are, they arent of any real importance to the story, you can just ignore them.**

_Q: Is it true that if you eat pancakes after a night of drinking it will help absorb the alcohol? (heehee, that was a popular one…)_

**A: Yes, it is true, and in my sister's experience (I don't drink) it has been incredibly helpful.**

_Q: How old are you?_

**A: I just turned 17 last November.**

_Q: When will the next story be out?_

**A: Well, I have just one chapter written of a story that I thought might be a little different and a challenge for me to write. (It is the story that follows this FAQ) It is a Draco/Hermione love story, since that seems to be the one in demand the most, but it will be a little bit less fluff, and a little more angst (especially at the beginning, but I promise it will get better. I hate depressing stuff, don't you?)**

_Q: Can you read my story? It is (insert story title here)_

**A: I will read as many stories as I have time for, but please don't get your hopes up too high, because that time is pretty limited. I do have a life as shocking as that is, and this next school year will be very crucial for me, and I also have a part time job, so I won't have as much time as I did during Two to Tango and One Fine Day which were writen over the summer. However, I will do my best. Just please understand if I don't get to it right away, I assure you it is nothing personal.**

_Q: WHEN WILL YOU UPDATE?_

**A: As previously mentioned, I update when I have time to, and yelling "UPDATE!" does not speed up the process. If someone would like to do all of my geometry/trig homework for me, then perhaps I could update faster, but until then… I do what I can.**

**Now I know this must be the longest author's note ever, but those were just a few things you lovely people might want to know. Also, one more thing before I set you loose on my chapter, I am leaving on vacation early tomorrow morning but it would be a wonderful welcome home present if there were reviews about what you think of the possible new story waiting for me when I return. cheesy innocent smile I am going to be doing nothing but having fun, and maybe thinking up ideas while I'm on this trip, so I will update when I get back. Now, here's the story and let me know what you think. Yes? No? Maybe so? kisses**

"STOP IT! SHUT UP! STOP! PLEASE JUST STOP IT!" Hermione screamed as loud as she could, tears pouring down her hot cheeks, red in anger from their heated argument.

"NO! NOT UNTIL YOU ADMIT IT!" He pushed her roughly into the stone wall and her back hit a protruding jagged stone, causing her to cry out in pain.

"I WON'T!"

"DAMN IT!" He roared, letting go of her shoulders and running a hand through his hair in great frustration. She slid down the wall and pulled her legs to her, still sobbing, but quieter now that he had stopped yelling. "What is so wrong with-"

"LA LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU! I'M NOT LISTENING!" She jammed her fingers in her ears childishly and tried to hum to drown his voice out, but it came out more like a whimper. He wouldn't respond to her attempts to solve things maturely, so perhaps he would if she acted immaturely. He paced in front of her, rage still surging through him. His eye caught on her book bag, lying on the cold floor. In one long stride he was in front of it, and bringing his leg back he kicked it with all his might, sending books and parchment everywhere, and causing ink bottles and quills to shatter, staining the durable cloth of the book bag. The sudden splintering sounds echoed off the high walls of the corridor. Hermione gave a small gasp and jumped slightly. They both snapped their heads up when the sound of hurried footsteps coming down the corridor could be heard. He turned to her and looked her sternly in the eye. He pointed a finger at her and she pushed herself back even further in to the wall, determined to get as far away from him as she could

"This isn't over." He said coldly. Turning on his heel he walked briskly around the corner. Taking a shaky deep breath and wiping her tears with the hem of her shirt, she started gathering her books, which were now scattered in a mess around her. She was reaching for her Arithmancy book when the voices got louder.

"…I heard something over here, maybe…"

"There she is! Hermione!"

"Hermione are you alright? What happened to you?"

Ron and Harry descended upon her like a pair of worried mothers, asking a million questions and assisting in the brushing off of dust and dirt from clothing. Unlike mothers, however, they threatened to castrate and then kill whoever dare harm her. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she started to walk away from them, when Ron caught her arm. He looked at her with a soft expression, his eyes pleading with her to tell him what happened.

"Hermione?" He said gently. She sighed and raised her chin determinedly.

"Malfoy." She said as strongly as she could. Both Harry and Ron's jaws immediately clenched, and their eyes narrowed.

"Don't worry Mione, that ferret won't get away with this." Ron assured her.


	2. Their Dirty Little Secret

**A/N: Hey everybody! Sorry about the super short chapters, but I'm still kinda getting a feel for the story, deciding what direction I want to take it, etc. So just bear with me for one more chapter and they will bounce up to the usual 1-2,000 words. I got back from vacation early, so I'm going to be trying to put all my ideas into word form the next couple days. Also, I know that the first chapter was probably very confusing, but I wanted it to be that way. As the story progressses you will find out more about the before and after of that encounter.**

_Maybe now all this craziness will end; maybe now that I've told Ron and Harry he will leave me alone. _Hermione thought with a glimmer of hope. She did want him to leave her alone, right? Yes, yes, it has to be done. He needs to know that it was just a stupid mistake. It was completely innocent, and it meant nothing.

Hermione turned over in her bed for the millionth time and faced the wall. During the day, she blocked out the vivid memories from her thoughts, but at night when it was quiet and there was nothing that needed to be done, the unsettling flashbacks flooded her mind.

**_Flashback_**

"I can't believe that I, of all people, am in detention. I did nothing wrong. If father ever got news of this he would-"

"Slap you on the wrists for listening to McGonagall's orders and tell you to grow up." Hermione interrupted snappily. She and Malfoy had gotten detention that night for starting an argument in the middle of Transfiguration. Normally, Hermione would just ignore his snide comments, but this time he had made a highly rude and vulgar remark about her virginity, and she just couldn't walk away. The end result had landed them both in detention, and neither one was very happy about it.

"Don't you dare speak to me again Mudblood. You should be bowing down to me, not mouthing off." He sneered.

"Bow down to you? What a load of rubbish! Who do you think you are? Voldemort? Well let me tell you, even if you were him, all you would get from me is a spit in the face you horrible, disgusting fer-"

Her words were cut off when his lips crashed forcefully down on to her own. She twisted and wiggled, trying fruitlessly to get out of his tight grasp. He had pinned her to the back of the trophy room door, and her own strength would never be able to overpower his. For a moment his lips worked over hers, and eventually the pleasure rippling through her body and the natural urge to kiss back overwhelmed Hermione, and she felt herself succumb to the instincts. His tongue forced its way into her mouth roughly, but she met it in equal hunger, kissing him back with vigor. She felt a cool hand expertly slip under her tee shirt, making haste towards her bra. She opened her eyes, and reality hit her like a bludger to the head. She was making out with Draco Malfoy, and she had no idea why.

She turned her head and violently pushed him away as hard as she could.

"What in the BLOODY _HELL_ do you think you are doing Malfoy!"

He stood there looking dumbfounded for an instant, unable to comprehend why any girl would turn down his snogs (they were simply the best, of course…) but then he realized that he wasn't kissing any girl. No, he was kissing **Granger**.

_Granger! What in the name of all things evil am I doing! Fuck. If father finds out about this, it will be nothing but Cruciatus curses for a month._

He spit on the floor and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"Why the fuck did you do that Mudblood?"

"ME! Wha…YOU kissed ME!"

"I would never snog something as polluted and undesirable as you, muggle lover."

Hermione eyes narrowed in pure detestation. "You are undeniably the most foul, loathsome creature I have EVER had the extreme displeasure of laying my eyes upon. Stay away from me Malfoy. If you ever touch me again you will truly know what it feels like to be in pain." Hermione warned. She gave him the coldest, hardest glare she could muster before turning on her heel and walking out of the trophy room, leaving him to finish shining the trophies and plaques by himself. Storming out the door and out in to the corridor towards the Gryffindor common room, she lightly traced her lips with her fingertips.

**_End of flashback_**

As she turned over in her bed yet again, she gently touched her fingertips to her lips as she had done three weeks ago.

He had taken something very precious from her, something that she would never be able to get back, her first kiss. She had always thought it would be Ron's because it was so painfully obvious that he liked her. But no. It was Malfoy. Of all people, why Malfoy? _If this gets out, it will ruin the both of us. Why did he do such a thing? Why me? The last thing I need is a dirty little secret to hold on to_. Letting out a deep breath of frustration, she tried to calm herself. _Just sleep, Hermione, tomorrow will be better. _


	3. Why Me?

As much as she had hoped, the next day was not any easier for Hermione. She had been dodging Malfoy all day, sitting as far away from him as she could in classes, and avoiding eye contact at all costs. She made sure that she was always with Ron or Harry when she went somewhere, knowing he wasn't stupid enough to try anything while she was with them. When Harry and Ron had said not to worry, and that they were going to "take care of things", she should have known that all it meant was they were going to yell about how much they hated him, but not actually take action.

_If you want the job done right, then you have to do it yourself_. Hermione thought, sighing as she walked alone up to the Gryffindor common room. This was her first mistake. As if on cue, a pair of hands reached out from around the corner and pulled her into the dark closet near by. Had it been any other time in her life, she would have screamed loudly and struggled to get away, but she knew who her assaulter was, and she almost expected him to pull something like this. She allowed herself to be tugged with ease into the tiny room, and then pushed up against the hard wall. This was mistake number two. She should have just slapped him and walked away.

"Lumos." She said in a bored tone. The soft light illuminated the small area, and Hermione could now see Malfoy's face close to hers. She could feel his body heat radiating off of him. She stood up straight, and set her jaw, determination flashing in her eyes.

"You need to stop this. It was a mistake. Don't you understand that this could cost me everything? I'm sure that's why you're doing it, to humiliate me, but you could lose everything too, your reputation for one. Just stop following me, stop harassing me, and stop trying to manipulate me. It won't work. Stay away from me." He stood there listening to her intently, going over the words in his head, and choosing his own wisely.

"Do I scare you Granger?" He asked with a malicious tone.

"You wish Malfoy." She said, saying his name as if it left a nasty taste in her mouth.

"Ah, sharing come-backs with Potter again, are we?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed to slits and she pursed her lips. "Look, if you don't drop this charade right now, I will be forced to resort to violent measures. Just _leave_** _me_** **_alone_**. "

"Why are you denying yourself Granger? Why keep lying to yourself when you know you want this more than I do." He placed a hand on her hip and slowly began to draw her closer to him. Mistake number three. She could feel his hot breath on her neck. It was driving her wild inside. She wanted him to kiss her, she wanted to give in and just be outlandish and rash. She wanted to know what it felt like to truly melt with someone, and let his body press against her own. Her breathing stopped for a moment, and she shook her head.

"No." She pushed him away from her. "Anything you think we had, we didn't. It was a stupid blunder. We hate each other. We always have, and always will. Stay away from me or you will find yourself becoming very well acquainted with Madame Pomfrey." She broke past him and barged out of the closet, stomping off to the common room.

Up in the room, Ron and Harry sat playing wizard's chess in front of the fire. When the portrait hole banged closed, Harry looked up from his knight that had just been smashed into smithereens by Ron's queen.

"Hello 'Mioine." He said politely. He took little note of her flustered and disheveled state, and turned back to his game. Throwing down her book bag and dropping onto the couch nearest to the fire, she angrily crossed her arms across her chest. Her eyebrows furrowing together as she thought, she desperately tried to think of a way to get the Malfoy monkey off her back. _What am I doing wrong? How can I possibly be more clear and blunt than I already am?_ Hermione wondered curiously. Perhaps she was going crazy, or perhaps she already was, but for whatever reason, she felt she just _had _to know why. Why her, and why know. Why the Mudblooded book worm. Jumping up off the couch, she tore off towards the portrait hole. Her sudden movements startled Ron and Harry, and the called after her.

"Herms where are you going?" Ron called. He was too late though, because she was already out the hole and racing down the corridor. _It was only a moment ago, I'm sure I can still catch him_. She though optimistically. Sliding around the corner and past the small broom closet he had pulled her into, she just barely saw a glimpse of platinum blond hair rounding another corner.

"Malfoy!" She yelled, picking up her pace to catch up to him. "Malfoy! Wait up!" She called again. Following his footsteps around yet another turn, she ran at her top speed; however she didn't know he had been waiting for her just around the bend. She collided with him painfully, and would have surely fallen backwards had he not quickly brought her to him to prevent her fall. Letting her head rest momentarily on his chest whilst the dizziness stopped, she regained her balance. She stepped back and out of his arms reach, looking up and him.

"I knew you couldn't stay away." He said suavely. She pulled a disgusted face and shook her head.

"I just wanted to- I mean, I'm curious…"

"Curiosity killed the cat Granger."

"But I need to know," She started again. "Why me?" She asked, looking into his eyes intently, and holding them to her with her own. When he didn't answer, she took the opportunity to speak once more. "What is it about this plain, boring, muggle born girl, that has you stalking me, and pestering me, and driving me out of my mind with… with- anger, and, and confusion," she struggled over her words, trying to force them out the right way. "And… want?" She said the last part in a voice that was barely audible, and she was almost sure he didn't hear her at all. She swallowed hard and she could feel tiny beads of sweat forming on her brow. As she had talked, her gaze had somehow managed to become cast down, so that she was now gazing fixedly on the stone floor. Daring to bring her eyes back up to his face, she searched it for the answer that she wanted. He still had not said a word, and Hermione couldn't stand there all night.

"Malfoy?" She whispered. He swallowed hard twice before he opened his mouth to speak.

"I wish I could answer that." He said finally. He turned on his heel, and continued his slow walk to the Slytherin common room. Letting out the breath she had been holding in, she too went on her way back to her dormitories, even more baffled than before.


	4. The Trophy Room

Hermione walked at a snail's pace, still in a fuzzy fog from her encounter with Malfoy. Dragging her feet back up to the common room, she muttered the password and gingerly perched down on the couch once again. Harry and Ron were still engrossed with their game, but they still acknowledged her presence.

"Where'd you run off to Mione?" Ron asked. When he didn't get a reply, he looked up from the chess board. "Hermione?" He tried again. She seemed to snap out of it then.

"Huh? Sorry, what?"

"I asked you where you ran off too." He repeated.

She thought for a second, not wanting to tell them the truth just yet. "I forgot something in my last class."

"Oh. Well where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"The thing you forgot?"

"Oh." Her heart pounded harder at all of his questions. "I couldn't find it."

"Perhaps someone took it. What was it?"

"What was it?" She gulped.

"Yeah, it wasn't too valuable was it?"

"Uh, no, it was nothing. Just some… um, just a bit of parchment." She stuttered nervously.

"You ran all the way back for a bit of parchment?"

"Yes?"

Ron raised his eyebrows at her. "You are more into school than I ever imagined 'Mione." Hermione breathed a silent sigh of relief at Ron's extreme density.

"I think I'll just go have a lie down for a moment." Hermione said, standing up and heading to the girl's dormitories. Harry and Ron grunted in response, as she climbed the narrow stairwell. Entering the room she shared with four other girls and grabbing her day planner and a quill off the nightstand, she flopped down on to her bed and pulled the curtains closed. Flipping the planner open to the present date, she marked the twenty first small black X in the bottom right hand corner. She didn't know why she had been keeping track of the days since Malfoy covered his retched mouth over hers, but for some reason she was. Twenty one black X's, twenty one days of being harassed, twenty one days of being stalked, twenty one days of pure relentless torture, all for a reason which she could not understand. His hard eyes had wormed their way in to her mind since that day. Where ever she was, what ever she was doing, they would find her, and make her feel tremendous unsettling guilt in the pit of her stomach. She had betrayed her friends by kissing him, and she could hardly look either one of them in the eyes anymore. Just Malfoy's mere presence was causing her to change, for what appeared to be, the worse. Snapping her planner shut and placing it back on her nightstand, she lied on her back with her head resting comfortably on the fluffy pillow. Sighing deeply, she allowed her mind wander to the forbidden places that terrorized her.

**FLASHBACK**

She was walking back to her dormitory after her very first encounter with Malfoy, her hand still delicately caressing her lips in a dazed manor. For a girl that could never stop thinking and calculating events and equations in her head, her mind was eerily empty. Not a thought crossed it as she climbed staircase after staircase up to the Gryffindor tower. She was numb, mentally and physically. But wait… no, she could feel something… her lips tingled and her arms ached from being held so tightly in his viselike grip. Neither one of these sensations were very reassuring to Hermione. In fact, they were only causing her to fear more because they were the only ones she could feel. Pain and pleasure coming together to create a title wave of conflicting emotion.

_Pleasure… there is no such thing when it comes to Malfoy's. The two words should never be associated with each other._ She thought once her head had cleared somewhat and she was back in her dorm, tucked snugly in to her bed.

As she fell asleep that night, she had no idea that the following days would be some of the worst she had experienced in a long time. For in the days to come, Malfoy would be doing everything he could to get another taste of that particular muggle born. Another kiss from Hermione. He wouldn't get it, for she wouldn't allow him to have the enjoyment of getting his every want and desire at the snap of a finger, however saying "no" to the Slytherin Prince was going to be more difficult than she could dream it to be.

**END OF FLASHBACKISH THING**

Hermione rolled on to her side to look at the clock on the wall of the dorm. It was 6:30. Dinner would be starting soon. She got up and entered the bathroom. Splashing some cool water on her cheeks to freshen herself up, she tied her hair back with an elastic hair band and walked downstairs. Harry and Ron were, to her great surprise, doing homework. On their own. Without her having to push them to do it. i Wow, perhaps they are finally growing up. /i She thought hopefully.

"Shall we go to dinner?" She proposed. The boys looked up with relieved grins and hunger written all of their faces. Ron practically leapt out of his seat and dropped his work, letting it fall carelessly to the floor.

"I couldn't think of anything better." He said with a goofy grin, and Hermione could guess that his mouth was watering at the thought of food. "How 'bout it Harry?"

"Sure." Harry agreed, he too getting up and leaving his work in an untidy pile on the couch. He headed out the portrait hole first, with Ron and Hermione close on his heals.

"May I escort you to dinner this evening Miss Granger?" Ron offered Hermione his arm in a very gentlemanlike voice. She did her best to crack a smile at him, and she looped her arm through his. Hermione saw a tinge of pink creep up around Ron's neck and his ears turned scarlet. She secretly wondered how he had gotten up the courage to put forth such a gesture, as he had always been utterly shy, but she looked at it as a personal achievement for him. Maybe he was maturing all by himself.

They proceeded to dinner and took at their usual seats at the long Gryffindor table. As Ron and Harry piled ludicrous amounts of food on to their plates, Hermione simply pushed around a few boiled potatoes.

"Ay arhn oo eahing Mioe?" Ron asked with his mouth gorged with half masticated food.

"Please do not speak with your mouth full Ronald. Your mother would be appalled, and I can't understand a word you are saying with it full to the brim like that." Hermione lectured. He finished chewing and swallowed.

"I said, why aren't you eating Mione." He clarified.

"Oh." She gave the minuscule pile of peas a poke. "I supposed I wasn't as hungry as I thought I am." She replied, trying not to sound troubled.

"Alright, well, are you going to finish that boiled potato?" Ron asked, greedily eyeing the seasoned spud. She shook her head bleakly, and handed her plate to him across the table. She sat staring blankly in to her goblet of pumpkin juice for five minutes while the boys ate, but after that, the discomfort was becoming too much for her to just sit still. _He_ was looking at her. _He_ wasn't just looking, but burning holes in to her with his harsh gaze. _He_ was ruining her appetite, and causing her to squirm under his surveillance.

"I will see you two back in the common room. I'm going to see if the library has a new book in that I wanted." She glanced up at Malfoy briefly before getting up and leaving the table. Ron caught her arm and she was forced to turn and face him. His eyes looked desperate and pleading.

"But- but Mione I need to talk to you about… something. You know… _alone._ " He said. She pulled her arm back.

"I'm sorry Ron, I really need to go now, and I'm sure whatever it is can wait."

"But-"

"Bye!" She turned on her heal and sped off and out of the Great Hall.

"But I needed to ask you to Hogsmeade." He finished dejectedly, knowing she couldn't hear him.

"You'll see her later mate, don't worry." Harry reassured.

"Yeah." He hung his head low, and dug in to his roast beef.

Hermione had no need to turn around when she heard footsteps behind her. It was prearranged, this thing that was about to go down. No words were spoken about the meeting, where or when, but one look gave away all the fine details. Hermione walked down the chilly corridor to the trophy room. Opening the door, she stepped in and shut the door behind her. She stood with her arms crossed across her chest, and an unreadable expression set in stone on her face. A few seconds later, the door opened, he stepped in, and closed the door behind him just as she had. He looked at her and mimicked her by crossing his arms and setting his face.

Her foot began to tap, growing impatient with theses little meetings that seemed to be getting them nowhere.

"You made me loose my appetite Malfoy." She said tonelessly.

"That's no loss; you're wide enough as it is." He sneered. His remark threw her off, and she unfolded her arms to quickly look down at her body apprehensively. He chuckled at her self consciousness. Sure, she had grown curvy, but she had simply filled out, nothing that could ever be compared to obesity. She glared at him and huffed.

"So what did you call this little meeting for Granger? I haven't got all night."

"Oh is that so Malfoy? What better have you to do? Shag Pansy in the astronomy tower? Terrorize innocent first years?" She pretended to think hard. "No, no, I know now. You need to go stare at yourself in the mirror for a few hours to get in your nightly ego stroking." She narrowed her eyes at him as he glared menacingly at her. "You will have as long as it takes me to get what I want from you." She said strongly.

"Granger, I know you want to have your way with me, but unfortunately I have a little problem getting it up at the sight of something as ugly as you." He retorted.

"Malfoy, one day you will get yours, and you will deserve every bit of it."

"And you still don't deny it."

"Deny what?" Hermione demanded, getting fed up with his ridiculous smart-ass remarks.

"Deny the fact that you want me." He said with a confident smirk.

"I don't _want_ you! I am repulsed by the sheer thought of intercourse with you!" She screamed in defense. He raised his eyebrows at her and shrugged.

"Whatever gets you off Granger." She gawked at him in shock at what he had just said.

"I do** NOT** touch myself!"

"Yeah, uh huh okay." He said in a disbelieving tone.

"I only wanted to ask you why you kissed me! I only wanted to know why you are afraid of me!" She screamed in frustration, finally getting to her original reason for luring him here.

"Why!" He asked, stepping closer so they were almost nose to nose. "You want to know why!"

"Yes! I do!"

"This is why!" He grabbed her face and pulled her into a rough kiss. He held her to him for a moment, and then pushed her away. "That is why! Don't tell me you didn't feel that Mudblood!"

She felt it. Oh boy did she feel it. _What **was** that? It was so… strong._ She though, baffled at the feeling that had ignited within her. It was hatred and lustful desire, and something else… something that kept drawing them to each other.

"I…" She tried to start, but could seem to find the words. It was Malfoy. **Malfoy.** The bloke who scared the living daylights out her in the corridor the other day. The one who had repeatedly tried to be smart and use reverse psychology on her to get her to fancy him. The one who wanted her to risk everything for him, while he kept her his dirty little secret. This wasn't allowed to happen. Not to her. Not with Malfoy, and not after the way he had treated her.

"You what?" He snapped. "What have you go me under Granger! What the in the bloody fucking hell did you do to me!" He yelled, gripping her shoulders.

"I don't have you under anything you insignificant prick. It's called a crush. Get over it, and move on." She attempted to walk past him and out the door, but he still held her shoulders.

"Why don't you just admit you have feelings for me?" He stared into her warm brown eyes with his own cold blue ones.

"I won't. I don't."

"Yes you do! I know you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Damnit Hermione!"

They were both quiet and avoidant of one another's gaze, yet they thought the same thing. _He just used her first name._


	5. You Don't Know What Love Is

"What did you call me?" Hermione said in a voice hardly louder than a whisper. Draco was choking on his words, opening his mouth, only to close it a moment later when he realized no words were coming out.

"I-" He couldn't form a single sentence. His mind raced and he was beginning to sweat. Hermione took a deep breath. What she had only wanted to be a brief meeting to get an answer had turned into a wrong-in-more-ways-than-six dilemma. _It has to stop… NOW. How do I always manage to get so sidetracked? Show him no mercy Mione, you cant let this scum mess with you mind._

"I don't believe we are on a first name basis Malfoy, and I also don't believe it is appropriate for you to go around snogging girls who have boyfriends."_ WHAT? Why did I just say that? I don't have a boyfriend! Bad mouth, bad, bad mouth!_

"Wha- WHAT?"

"Unhand me now, or else I will force you to."

"Mudblood, you could hurt me if you tr-" Hermione brought her knee up to his crotch with all of her strength, and he was cut off mid-sentence, gasping for air and moaning. With a small push he fell to the floor, and Hermione stepped quickly over his body and hurried out the door. She frantically traveled up to the Gryffindor dorms, and as she rushed through the portrait hole, she marched up to Ron who was sitting on the couch, staring aimlessly at the roaring fire.

"Get up." She demanded. He looked up at her, thoroughly confused.

"Hermione are you okay?"

"Get. Up." She said again. Tentatively, he stood up and faced her.

"Mione you aren't mad at me or anything, are you?" Hermione didn't bother to answer him. Instead, she threw a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down into a rushed, furious kiss. Pulling back a moment later, and breathing heavily, she looked Ron up and down. He looked paralyzed, and had a look of fright on his face.

"Date me." She said firmly. It wasn't even a question, but more of an order.

"Dwa…?"

"Be my boyfriend. Please?" She clarified, though the situation was still rather vague.

"You want me to… date you?" He asked, forming his very first successful sentence since she waltzed in. Hermione frowned and she began to panic. Did he not like her? If not, then what was she going to do? How would she talk her way out of this one?

"You mean, you… don't like me?" She asked.

"What? No! I do! I just thought you were joking or… or… Merlin Hermione I don't know!" He pulled her into a tight hug. "This is so great!"

"…yeah." Hermione said weakly.

"Have you liked me for as long as I have liked you? How did you know? I thought you would never notice me, honestly."

"Uh-huh." She replied, trying to care about what he was saying. He looked at her with a very stern expression.

"You are serious about this aren't you?"

"Yes, of course I am. I want this." She forced herself to say, although her heart was screaming "NO!" It almost hurt more to lie to herself than it did to lie to Ron. Never on her life had she ever anticipated using him, but then again, she had also never anticipated being in such a predicament as she was.

"Well, I'm going to retire to my dorm now, Ron. Good night." She went up on her tip toes and kissed him quickly on his cheek, and then hurried up the stairs to her room. When she got there, the other girls were busy changing for bed as well, and didn't bother to turn a sleepy head in her direction. As she sunk down beneath her sheets, she tried to relax, but her body stayed on full alert. _Merlin what have I gotten myself into? I feel something for Arrogant-son-of-a-death-eater-Malfoy so in panic I turn to... Ron? This isn't right. I should just apologize to him right now and hope he forgives me for playing with his emotions like that. It wouldn't be fair to lead him on and let him think I really care about him romantically. I would be making myself no better than a Malfoy. But he was so happy... _She thought, her brain and her heart in turmoil. _How could I crush him by checking him the next day?_

Hermione wasn't the only one not sleeping that night. Deep down in the dark dungeons, Draco Malfoy cursed himself repeatedly for being so soft and foolish as he cast a numbing spell on his rather bruised... ahem magic stick. Never had a Malfoy behaved this way, and he was sure that his grandfathers were turning over in their graves at the very idea that their only hope to continue the Malfoy line was dancing around a little muggle born witch, utterly infatuated beyond control. A Malfoy gets, what a Malfoy wants, but when Malfoy wants a Mudblood, things go haywire. The way she smelled, the way she moved, the way that one little lock of hair always fell into her eyes when she was hunched over a book, the way her eyes flashed dangerously when she was angry, and the way she kissed him… he couldn't stop himself from thinking about her. She was always in his mind, bending and breaking all the dark and evil ideas his family had been pushing upon him for years. But now the object of his desire had… a boyfriend? What? When had this happened? Surely she must be pulling his leg, for there was no one good enough for her, no one that could even begin to compare to her level of intelligence, except for him. _It must be the Weasel, Pothead is too wrapped up in his own life to be apart of anyone else's. Damn that blood traitor for all he's worth... not that he was ever worth much anyways._

For the first time, he couldn't call his father to come buy him what he wanted. He couldn't say, "Father, I am smitten for Hermione Granger. Buy her for me." His father would most likely hex the living daylights out of him before personally disposing of the body himself. No, he couldn't go to his father. Should it have been any other girl (which he wished to death that it could have been) he would have whisked her away from her current boy toy and wooed her with his Malfoy charm. But, alas, it was Granger, who as he had discovered numerous painful times already, was completely unaffected by said charm.

_What to do... what to do..._ He pondered restlessly. When no ideas came to him, he finally decided on temporary action. _Go to sleep Draco, you mustn't have those hideous bags under your eyes tomorrow morning. You have a reputation to uphold. _

The next morning, Ron bounded down the stairs from the boy's dormitories and waited anxiously for Hermione to come down from hers as well. He hadn't told anyone about the two of them yet, and he was waiting to surprise them all when he kissed her good morning in the common room. The common room steadily began to fill with sleepy student preparing to go to breakfast, but Hermione had still not come down. _Perhaps she is still sleeping._ Ron thought. _Although it is very unlike her to over sleep on a school day._ He paced around the couch, wondering what could possibly be keeping her. If she didn't come down soon, everyone would leave and his hopeful plans would be spoiled.

_Just go!_ She reached for the door handle. _No wait! Skip breakfast, stay up here until its time to go to class_. Her hand withdrew. _Stop being a chicken Hermione! Just do it_. She reached out again._ But what if he tries to snog you again?_ She snatched her hand away, as if the door knob was on fire. _You can't hide in here forever, and if you don't go to breakfast they will only send Ginny up here to look for you._ She grabbed at the handle and yanked the door open, forcing herself to step out into the hallway. She eyed the stairwell nervously. F_or Merlin's sake Hermione, suck it up!_ She yelled at herself inwardly. Slowly descending the stairs, she entered the common room, which was buzzing with early morning clamor and students rushing to finish last minute homework assignments.

No sooner had her foot stepped off the final stair, Ron was at her side taking her hand in his. He tugged her to the center of the room and yelled.

"Oy! Everybody!" The clatter died down and all heads turned to face him.

Hermione's eyes widened in panic. _Oh Ron, what on earth are you doing? _She pulled at his hand, trying to move him towards the portrait hole so they could proceed to breakfast. She was unsuccessful. The small crowd looked at them expectantly. Ron pulled Hermione to him and kissed her full on the mouth. Her eyes flew open to as wide as they could go, and her free arm waved around in shock. A few whistles emitted from the boys, and sighs of exasperation followed by, "Well it's about time…" from the girls.

Ron's big mouth moved sloppily and wetly over her own, in what she presumed he thought was a "passionate kiss". His slimy tongue tried to probe its way into her mouth, but Hermione kept her lips sealed and her jaw set, allowing no foreign objects in. He pulled away (much to Hermione's relief) and looked at her, thoroughly confused as to why she was resisting him.

"Ron, everyone's watching… don't you think that this sort of thing should be kept private?" She whispered, as the common room members resumed what they had originally started.

"Oh… right. Well I guess we can wait." He said, obviously not agreeing. "I just want to show you off. You know, now that you're mine."

Hermione was slightly taken aback at his words. She hadn't expected him to think of her as an object of possession. "I am** not **a toy Ronald! I do not belong to you, or to anyone!" She stated clearly and firmly. He blushed and his ears immediately tinged pink.

"I'm sorry Mione, I just meant that now that we're dating…"

_Oh poo..._

"Right... dating... you and me... _us_ ..."

"Are you okay Hermione?"

Hermione snapped her head up to look at him. "Oh, um yes, I think I need to have something to eat. I'm feeling a bit… faint." She said. _And by faint, I mean distant. Distant because I shouldn't be doing this_. He nodded and reclaimed her hand. Together they walked down to the Great Hall for their first meal of the day. Upon entering, they received glances and nods of approval from the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor tables, and glares of nauseating disgust from the Slytherins.

She took a seat opposite of Ron and facing the Slytherin table. She slowly consumed a bowl of fruit and a slice of toast before meeting the harsh glare that had been unapologetically staring her down since she stepped foot in the Great Hall. Brown eyes met blue ones in a silent war.

Unblinking, they stared each other down, daring the other to blink or turn away. For three minutes neither one took their eyes off the other for even the smallest fraction of a second. It wasn't until Ron waved a hand in front of Hermione's face did she lose her concentration. She blinked rapidly a few times, and then looked over to Ron.

"What?" She asked, slightly disgruntled that he had gotten in the way of her business.

"Touchy, touchy honeybun, I just asked you if you were going to go to Hogsmeade with me." He said sweetly.

Hermione winced at the horrid nickname he was using for her. "Oh, sure." She answered monotonously. She looked away from him again, and back to Malfoy. He nodded to the direction of the door, and she got the message.

"Hey Ron, I need to use the loo before class begins, so I will see you later."

"But we don't have any classes together! You have all advanced classes! I'm not going to see you till lunch." He protested.

"I'll see you at lunch then." She gave him a small smile and left the hall hurriedly. _I most definitely should not be doing this... _She turned the corner, and then another, and found herself in her least favorite spot in Hogwarts: the Trophy Room.

Shutting the door behind her, she immediately felt lips on her own. Unlike Ron's kiss, it wasn't sloppy or drooly, it was soft and sensuous, yet passionate and needy. Only one person could kiss like that. She knew it was him, and even though she knew it was wrong, she kissed him back with hunger. When his tongue pushed into her mouth, she didn't fight it off like she did with Ron, she welcomed it with her own and moaned softly at the luxurious feeling of being with him.

He began to pull away, for air she supposed, but she pulled him back in, her arms unwilling to release their secure grip around his neck. Seeing her persistence, he didn't hesitate to dive back in and connect his lips with hers once more. Finally, minutes later when Hermione found herself backed up against a wall and they were both out of breath, they pulled away simultaneously and took a hard look at each other's flushed faces.

"You are killing me Hermione." He whispered, touching his forehead to hers. When she didn't say anything, he continued. "I know you are only with him to make me jealous. It's working too. Leave him and be with me." Hermione shrunk from his touch and slithered away from his arms reach at his words. "You don't care about him, I know you don't."

Hermione was unsure what to say, so she thought it best just to stay quiet. She couldn't deny something that was so blatantly true.

"What can he offer that I can't?" He asked, with a tone that was obviously mocking the Weasley family finances. She thought for a moment.

"Love." She said. "He can give me love."

"What good is it if you can't return it Hermione? What good is it if you feel for someone else?" He demanded. She just shook her head and became utterly fascinated with the stone floor. _I knew it was a mistake to come here, why can't I stay away from him? A smart girl like me should not be falling for all of Malfoy's ploys to win me over. _

In one large step he had reached her, and taking her head in his hands, he forced his mouth down over her own. This time, she did not kiss back. As he worked his lips on hers, she wondered what his sudden snog would lead to. If she knew him even the least bit, she knew that everything he did served a purpose. Especially when he was on the hunt for something he desired. He pulled back roughly and bore his eyes deep into hers.

"If that wasn't love, then I don't know what is." He said, referring to the kiss he had given her. Hermione returned his gaze sadly.

"Exactly Malfoy, you don't know what love is." She turned from him and walked out the door. He made no effort to stop her, because as always, Hermione Granger was right.


	6. Severing the Ties

That night in bed, Hermione weighed her options; and what heavy options they were. On one hand she had Ron: shy, short-tempered, best friend, sweet, caring, naïve, but I-don't-love-him-in-that-way Ron. On the other hand, there was Malfoy: cold, arrogant, picky, spoiled, judgmental, cruel, unforgiving, dangerous, greedy, doesn't know what love is, ridiculously handsome, devilishly sexy, fantastic snogger, Slytherin, Malfoy. What was a girl to do? It seemed to be that Malfoy had gotten the question backwards; what could he offer to her that Ron couldn't? When all that mattered to Hermione was having someone's undying affection and love, Ron won that one with not a moment's hesitation. However, being the intelligent creature he was, Malfoy had raised a valid point. What good was Ron's love if she couldn't return it?

Hermione sighed. This was a nice, big, fat mess she had gotten herself into. In truth, she wanted neither one. One was an egotistical, pigheaded brat, and the other was an old mate of hers who she was absolutely repulsed at the idea of snogging. Sure, Malfoy was a handsome face with even more appealing snogging talents, but as enjoyable as he may be to delight in pleasure with, the fact remained that he was her enemy.

She was playing dangerously with disaster, and if anyone, particularly members of the Order or D.A., found out what she had been doing with him in the Trophy Room, she would immediately be marked as a traitor and suspicious character. They would never trust her again, and possibly even kick her out of the program. She couldn't take that risk, most certainly right now with the threat of Voldemort on high alert. She couldn't do this to Harry; he had enough to worry about already. And the Weasley's, they were practically family. She would lose that family if they found her out. Already she was putting the relationship she had with them on the line by toying with Ron.

There was only one logical solution. She had to rid herself of both of them, romantically at least. She had to make things go back to normal. Before the sinful first kiss in the Trophy Room, before she used Ron as a pawn for her own selfish reasons, before she let her entire thought process be controlled by a Malfoy. With this decision made, she was able to slip into a much needed deep sleep.

When she arose in the morning, she dressed herself in her Gryffindor robes and then set off to conquer her first obstacle. Putting on the plainest, most sincere face she could, she sought out Ron. She found him in the common room, hunched over a book desperately trying to finish his potions homework before breakfast began. Tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention, she rehearsed what she wanted to say one last time in her head. He looked up and smiled. He stood up and gave her a hug.

"Good morning beautiful." He said, moving in for a kiss. Just before his lips touched hers, she turned her head so he kissed her cheek instead.

"Ron, I think we need to have a talk." She said gravely. His face paled, and Hermione could see the concern dance across his face.

"You think?" He asked.

"I know." She corrected. She pointed to the overstuffed couch. "Perhaps we should sit?" He shook his head.

"I don't need to sit Mione, just tell me what's wrong. Are you feeling alright?" He asked, truly alarmed by her cold demeanor. It was her turn to shake her head.

"No Ron, I'm not alright." Before he had a chance to inquire about what, she continued. "I love you Ron, but the way I love you… I just don't think we are in the same kind of love, you know?" She looked at him hopefully, but his expression held nothing short of uncertainty. "I just… I love you as if you were one of my own family, like my brother. And… and I, well I just can't snog my brother. Do you understand?" Ron was now looking quite grim, and she knew that he did indeed understand. He gritted his teeth.

"Why did you do it then? Why did you snog me like that? To poke fun at me? To see how I would react? Why?" He asked sternly with pain clear in his voice.

"I'm so sorry Ron; I never meant to, I swear it. I didn't want to hurt you. I thought I felt differently, but when we kissed, I knew it was wrong, and I had mistaken my feelings for you."

"But you did Hermione. You did hurt me." He replied coldly. Hermione was on the verge of tears. Her tear ducts were filling up, and threatening to overflow.

"Ron, I am so truly sorry! You were one of my first mates ever, and I can't imagine my life without you in it, but just in a different way than what we were yesterday. You mean so much to me… I need you to be my friend. Please forgive me." She finished. Ron looked away from her. "Please." She tried to move in to hug him, but he stepped away.

"Don't Hermione. Just don't. I can't be near you right now. Please just leave me alone."

"But I-" She started.

"No! Back off!" He yelled. Wrenching the portrait hole open, he let it slam behind him as he fled from the common room. Now the tears were spilling from her eyes and down her flushed, hot cheeks. She had hoped he would take it better than he had, but in the true spirit of Ron, he had gotten worked up and she knew it would be awhile before he came down. _One down, one to go_. However, while she thought this, she knew that it would be both easier, and harder at the same time. She dreaded ruining the days of two boys, but the sooner the ties were severed the better.

At breakfast, Harry was at a loss as to why his two best mates were refusing to sit with one another. Well, it was more like Ron refusing to go within ten feet of Hermione, who in turn was poking forlornly at her porridge with her eyes downcast.

"So!" Harry said, desperately trying to get a conversation going to warm the icy atmosphere that had settled over their section of the Gryffindor table. "I hear Hufflepuff's got a great Quidditch team this year… they recon they can beat the Ravenclaws." He was presented with a grunt from Ron on his left, and a sigh from Hermione on his right. "And that Transfiguration class the other day! Wow, now that was really interesting. I had no idea you could turn grass into chocolate cake." Again, Ron made a strange grumbling noise and Hermione continued to stare hopelessly into her now cold porridge. "And that Hogsmeade schedule! Well-"

"Harry!" Hermione threw down her spoon and stood up. "Would you please stop babbling nonsense? Ron obviously isn't speaking to me because he can't get it through his **thick bonehead ** that I'm sorry! Until he stops acting like a child, I will be in the library. Don't bother to look for me until he comes to his senses." With that final word, she roughly snatched her book bag from the floor and stomped out of the Great Hall.

"So she checked you?" Harry asked Ron.

"Oh shut it Harry!" And following Hermione's example, he too stormed out of the hall with a very discontent look on his face.

"Well somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning…" Harry mumbled to himself.

"Children… I am friends with absolute children!" Hermione said to herself as she stopped to lean against the corridor wall. Her eyes were closed and she had one and held to her face, applying pressure on her throbbing temples.

"It sounds like you could use a real man then." Said a smooth voice in her ear. She lowered her hand and opened her eyes. It was Malfoy, not to her surprise.

"When will you get the hint that I don't want you? I don't want to be your friend, your girlfriend, your secret lover, or anything of the sort! I want my life back. The one I had before you so greedily corrupted it." She exclaimed heatedly. He pressed one hand above her head and leaned against the wall, his arm supporting him. He put his face as close to hers as he could without coming in contact with her.

"I do believe, Miss Granger," He whispered, his hot breath tickling her face. "That you played a big part in your own 'corruption' as well. If you are the smart, intelligent witch that everyone claims you to be, you would have never come to meet me after that first day. You would have never sought me out on your own free will, and you would have never broken up with your lame little boyfriend for me." He smirked as he finished his mini tirade. Hermione fumed with anger. _How dare he! How dare that insignificant bastard! What right does he have accusing me of such? And how wrong he is, too!_

Hermione poked him in the chest and lowered her voice to a hiss. "I will have you know that I broke up with Ronald for reasons that do not concern you the slightest, and never at _any_ point did I pursue you for anything more than an answer to a burning question. The said 'corruption' was indeed your fault Mr. Malfoy because had you not placed your putrid lips upon mine that retched day a few weeks past, I should have never been forced into such turmoil. I do not wish to see or speak to you ever again outside what is necessary for academic participation. Good day." Throwing him one last glare, Hermione slipped under his arm and briskly walked down the corridor away from him. It was not long, however, before she heard footsteps approaching rapidly from behind her.

A cool hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a nearby supply cupboard.

"You think you could be rid of me that easily Granger? Think again."


	7. Not A Fly

The hand that gripped her wrist tightened even more as she was forcibly shoved into the wall, the door slamming shut behind her. Malfoy pressed himself tightly against her, so that he was holding her in place against the wall with his own body. His hot breath tickled her cheek in an uncomfortable way, and she could feel the vibrations of his speech as he leaned in dangerously close to her ear.

"I am not a fly, Granger." He said icily. "You can not shoo me away at your own pleasing." He bit down on her earlobe hard, but not hard enough to cause any real pain. Hermione wriggled underneath him in her fruitless attempt to loosen his grip. Her silly efforts to get free only provoked him to continue his sinfully seductive movements even more, and whilst he held fast to her arms, he moved his hips into her and placed hot kisses on her collar bone. Tilting her head away from him, she did her best to regain what little composure she could muster.

"No Malfoy, you are not a fly," she remarked. "You are a nasty, no good bundimun." She hissed through gritted teeth. Malfoy scoffed.

"Fungus? _Green_ fungus? That's the best you could come up with? Really Granger, I thought you were the smartest witch of our time, and here you go with your juvenile come backs and petty resistance." He smirked at her before continuing. "I thought we really had some thing Shnookums, how could you hurt me so?" He asked sarcastically, feigning offence.

"I am ridding myself of you Malfoy," She said through tightly clenched teeth. _This is not going as planned. Is he truly so thick that he doesn't get it, or is he just being a prat? Oh damn him to pieces for being so unreadable!_ "Get that threw your he-" Hermione was cut off when his warm lips captured her own, working their dark magic over her rapidly diminishing self control.

"Tell me you aren't walking away from that." He stared deeply into her vibrant brown eyes with his cool blue ones. "Tell me you want this."

_Ron and Harry would kill you, Ginny would never speak to you again, your house would shun you, no friends, who's to say he isn't just using you? Is he really worth it?_ Her mind reeled. _But this was supposed to be my only option_.

"You forgot one thing, Granger…" He began as if reading her mind. "It could be our little secret... just you... and me... and the best snogging you have ever received in you pitiful mudblooded life."

"Insulting me will get you no where Malfoy." She snapped. He lowered his lips to a pulsing vein on her neck and licked it sensually before gently sucking on it. The heat from his mouth covering the sensitive silky skin of her neck was enough to make Hermione gasp, and it took every ounce of restraint she had left not to moan out his name and beg him to keep going.

"Are you sure about that? Because I think it already has. Admit it, you love it when I mess with you, it gets you riled up, nice and feisty, the way both you and I like it…" At this comment, Hermione shoved Malfoy away from her, a malicious fire burning in her dark eyes.

"Your mind is full of nothing but perversions and sick, filthy fantasies Malfoy; fantasies that I do not wish to be a part of."

"I believe I could change your mind Granger, if you let me attempt to do so." He purred from spot on her neck. He was now softly nipping at the thin flesh, giving Hermione goose bumps and the shivers. He smirked, his actions having had the desired effect. She was breaking just as he had hoped she would. The nonsense about cutting him off had temporarily stunned him, but being the Malfoy he was, he quickly regained his composure and made light of the situation, wasting no time to return to his previously scheduled seduction of Hermione Granger.

_This is unheard of._ Hermione thought. _A Gryffindor and a Slytherin together, no matter how furtively, is absolutely preposterous. I just... he feels so... nice._

"Conditions." She choked out. He stopped his ravishing and looked at her. "There have to be conditions." She elaborated. A sly, sexy smirk settled on his face as realization swept in, and he knew he had won. Well, he had won this battle anyways.

"Name them." He said, hooking his fingers under the waistband of her skirt and pulling her closer.

"First, no public displays of…" She paused momentarily. She couldn't say affection, that's not what it is. "Lust, any and all things regarding us will take place in our common room, far away from any wandering eyes. Second, no one finds out, **no one**. If word leaks out then I deny everything and say you forced yourself on me, which, in a way, you have. Are we in agreement?" She asked.

Malfoy pushed a hand up into her long chestnut colored tresses and grabbed a handful of luxuriously silken hair. He tugged her face forward, and their lips met in a hastened kiss. "Granger, I do believe that you have yourself a deal." She placed her hand at his elbow, and then smoothly ran it up his forearm, to his hand. She covered the strong male hand that was gripping her hair with her own, and it relaxed and allowed her to remove it from its sleek resting place.

"Well then Malfoy, I have class. Good day." She turned around and slipped out the door, shutting it behind her. She took two steps from the closet when a voice called out to her, startling her.

"Hermione? Is that you? What were you doing in that old broom cupboard?" Hermione turned to meet Ginny's curious gaze and perplexed expression. _Oh no! Think fast!_

"Oh, I umm... well my skirt was riding up a bit uncomfortably, and so I err, I ducked in there to you know... fix it." She fibbed, her slim fingers crossed behind her back.

"Oh, I see. Yes, I do despise it when that happens. You ran off so quickly from breakfast that I wanted to make sure you were alright and such. I'm sorry Ronald is being such a prat, I'm sure you had a good reason to check him."

"Ginny as much as I would like to stay and chat, I must be going along to class now. It wouldn't look good for the head girl to be late, now would it? And you should be going to, it would be shameful to have to deduct points from my own house." Hermione said, desperately trying to move the girl along so that she could make her escape, and so Malfoy could make his as well.

"You're right, I'll see you later Mione." Ginny turned and retreated. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief before going her own separate way. As she rounded the corner, she heard the door to the closet clicking shut, and she knew Malfoy had made his exit.

_If he weren't such a bloody brilliant snogger, I would be regretting this already._ She mused thoughtfully. She made her way to her first class of the day, which, as it had been almost every day since first ear, was double potions with Slytherin. _This must be Dumbledore's failing attempt to make the houses bond, by forcing them into the most despised class with the foulest of teachers_. She thought grimly to herself. _Dumbledore, for one so powerful and intelligent, you can be rather daft sometimes_. She mentally chastised the Headmaster.

When she entered the nippy, dimly lit dungeons that she had grown to despise, she saw an open seat next to Harry. As she crossed the room, weaving her way around the desks and perfectly placed cauldrons, she made to sit next to him, however Snape had somehow swept in front of her, and was now looking down upon her past his greasy hooked nose.

"Where do you think you are going?" He asked in a mocking tone, obstructing both her path to Harry and her vision of anything in front of her.

"I was going to take my seat, _Sir_." Hermione answered, doing her best not to let the venom drip off her words too callously. Snape sneered at her in what Hermione supposed was the closest thing to a smile that she would ever see. Of course, even this rare, disgusting form of a smile only came out when torturing Gryffindors, or the occasional frightened Hufflepuff.

"Your seat, Miss Granger, is there," He drawled, pointing to the very back corner with the least light. "Next to your Head Boy." His tight, thin lips curled in a wicked grin.

"But sir, I usually sit-"

"NEW SEATS!" He barked, causing half the class to jump in surprise. Hermione huffed, but grudgingly stomped off to her new seat in the back. She knew that he was putting her back there for two reasons: so he could pretend not to see her when she raised her hand, and because he knew placing her next to Malfoy would make her blood boil. As she got closer and closer to the back of the eerie dungeon, she felt her body blend in with the dark shadows, and she gave an involuntary shiver. Setting her bag down on the two person desk, she dropped into her seat.

"Unhappy with the seating chart, are you Granger?" The smooth voice she knew all too well said beside her. Hermione looked to her right and there was Malfoy. She hadn't even taken notice of him until he spoke. Hermione found it to be in her best interest if she didn't reply to that. With Malfoy, only bad can come of getting into a come-back war. So she did as she had learned to do from living with Ron for six years, and bit her tongue.

"Oh, I understand. You're still speechless over that snog." He said with a cocky grin. Her head snapped to look at him, her mouth hanging open slightly.

"I most certainly am _not_!" She spat through gritted teeth. "And besides, we had a deal Malfoy, not discussion of it in public." She added, lowering her voice to a whisper. To her surprise, he nodded.

"Right, of course. No talking about it." He turned back to his notes that Snape had just demanded that they take. Not wanting to ruin his moment of cooperation, she too turned to her notes.

Fifteen minutes later, in the midst of brewing a potion to cure infectious orange warts, Hermione felt a hand slide onto her thigh. Startled, she gasped and knocked over a vial of powdered hinkypunk toes.

"I know it is difficult for you Granger, but try not to be so bloody clumsy." Malfoy said coldly.

"S-sorry." She muttered. Pushing the hand away, she tried to concentrate on the ingredient list in front of her. The hand, belonging to a very stubborn owner, merely replaced itself on her thigh once more, this time giving her a little squeeze. Hermione's breathing became faster and more erratic.

"Malfoy..." She said warningly. He looked at her innocently.

"What?" He shrugged. "You never said anything about touching in dark corners."

"SHHH!" Hermione pressed a delicate finger to his lips. She quickly scanned the room to see if anyone had heard him and was giving them odd looks. No one was.

_Merlin help me_. She thought. _Help me get through this faze._


	8. A Sleepy Affair

_Question 3: Explain the metabolic properties of wolf's bane, and give examples in which they can be used, if legal._

_Hmm… what is Snape talking about this time? Metabolic as in metabolism… of wolf's bane, so then the wolf's bane must have metabolic properties that increase the metabolism of the consumer so that they become skinnier and more physically fit? But it is also a stimulant so therefore it must be a form of steroid? Hmm that sounds right… _

Hermione poured over her potions book in the common room that night. The simple assignment that even Goyle would be able to do was giving her trouble. Maybe it was that her mind was overworked, or maybe it was Draco's hand caressing her thigh and kissing her neck that was just a wee bit distracting.

"Malfoy, would you please stop that? I'm trying to finish this bloody potions work. I'd like to actually be able to sleep tonight instead of staying up doing this assignment." Hermione said recoiling from his touch, but then immediately regretting it; missing his warmth. Despite his usual Slytherin-like antics, he was being surprisingly gentle with her at the moment.

"You're going to be up late anyways Hermione, so you might as well set that parchment aside." Malfoy stated, reattaching his lips to her soft skin, this time, to her bare shoulder. Of course, it hadn't always been bare, he had tugged down the collar of her cardigan and granted himself access to her tender flesh.

"Seriously Malfoy, I'm just not up to it tonight. And besides, after that stunt you pulled in potions class today, you should be thankful I'm not hexing your despicable self from here to Hogsmeade."

"Oh yeah, well you think my 'despicable self' is tremendously sexy." He mumbled into her skin. Hermione's face contorted in puzzlement.

"And just what does that have to do with me not being in the mood to snog you senseless?" She asked. Malfoy's silence answered her question, and she slammed her potions book shut, giving up for the night and surrendering to her fatigue. Standing up from the small workspace, she was about to excuse herself and retire to bed when a hand caught her arm.

"Where are you going?" He asked, pulling her into his lap.

"I'm going to bed, please release me." She struggled against him, trying to make her way to the fluffy, warm bed that she longed to have envelope her tired body.

"You're not going anywhere without me." He declared, taking her with him as he stood. Hermione's delicate arms clung around his neck as he carried her up the stairs. When he passed her doorway, she began to protest once more.

"Malfoy, you missed my room. This is your-"

"Yes, I know it's my bedroom Granger. What's your point?" He snapped snidely. Realizing she had none, she kept her mouth shut as he pushed the door open and set her down by the foot of his Slytherin insignia covered bedspread.

Whist he was undressing himself for bed, Hermione perched lightly on the edge of the bed, slowly removing her socks and shoes. Peeking over her should, she saw the toned muscles in Malfoy's back flex as he peeled off his shirt. Blushing, she looked front again, not wanting to get caught staring, no matter how good the view may have been. She removed her Gryffindor vest, and undid the top two buttons of her blouse, but did not dare to undress further than that. Her skirt and top was enough.

Risking another quick look, she rested her chin on her shoulder and looked at Malfoy, who was now in only his boxers and staring right at her. When he caught her eye, he smirked.

"No need to be modest Granger. That skirt will only be hiked up once you get into bed anyways, and I have a habit of taking shirts off in my sleep, so you might as well ditch the top as well."

Hermione ignored his ignored his comments as she slid between the silky sheets, fully clothed. Already apprehensive about sharing a bed with him in the first place, the last thing she wanted to worry about was whether he would try and take advantage of her scantily clad body if she were to sleep in her knickers.

Slipping in fluidly next to her, he pulled her tight to him and covered her mouth with his own. Her slack mouth was easily pushed open by his tongue, which, much to her shock was very slowly, gently caressing her own. It soon became apparent that Malfoy's goodnight kisses were considerably tenderer than his regular fierce ones. He pulled back, peering down at her as he held a palm to her cheek. He kissed her lips softly once more before resting his head down on the pillow next to her, a protective arm draped heavily over her stomach holding her in place next to him.

"Good night…Draco." Hermione barely whispered, her eyelids drooping. Beside her, Draco tensed up slightly upon hearing his first name escape from her full, rosy lips.

_I must be a bit delusional from a lack of sleep_. He thought. _Because I think I just heard her call me Draco._


	9. To Be Left Hanging

_Mmmmm... so warm... so soft... so... blissful..._ Hermione slowly began to wake, unsure as to where she was, but not exactly caring, as it was the most comfortable place she had found herself in in a very long time. Her eyes sealed shut in sleepiness; she rolled over onto her stomach and pressed her face into the fluffy pillow under her head. Breathing deeply, she inhaled the sweet faint smell of men's cologne and fabric detergent. She smiled dreamily, still unwilling to join the land of the living. _Oh how nice it would be to stay in this bed forever_. She thought. Turning to her side, she reasoned with herself and decided to let herself sleep just a bit longer.

Just as she was about to slip back into dream world, something heavy leaned itself against her chest, and began nuzzling into her breasts. Startled and ripped out of her faraway state rather abruptly, she wrenched her eyes open. They burned for an instant at the intense sunlight pouring through the window, but adjusted quickly. Looking down, she sighed and relaxed. _Oh thank Merlin it's only Malfoy._ She closed her eyes once more, her head finding its way back to the pillow.

_Wait..._

"**MALFOY!**" Her screams echoed off stone walls, and outside the tower frightened pigeons flew off in a noisy whirlwind of frantic wings and disgruntled hooting.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

"Mr. Malfoy."

"Mr. Malfoy!" Professor Binns shouted.

"Huh?" Draco looked up from his notes stupidly, bearing an expression very near to something Ron would have on his face.

"I asked you what year the Dragon Pox epidemic broke out."

"Oh, I'm sorry Professor, my _hearing_ seems to be a bit off today." He said, glaring daggers at Hermione. Her piercing screams had roughly woken him that morning, and had not spared anything on his eardrums either. She glared back and then looked down at her History of Magic book. "And that was 1379, claiming the life of Chauncey Oldridge."

Binns nodded in approval. "Very good. Now it was not until 1556 that the Wizarding world had any hope of relieving this sickness that claimed numerous lives. Gunhilda of Gorsemoor, whose statue guards the halls of Hogwarts today, was born in…"

Malfoy tuned out Professor Binns and went back to doodling carelessly on his stack of parchment. Minutes later, a paper butterfly landed on his desk, spreading its wings for him. "_Read Me_" was scrawled in neat, curvy handwriting that he immediately recognized. Carefully unfolding it, he quickly scanned its contents.

_-M,_

_You can't blame me for your own actions. I wouldn't have screamed if you hadn't touched me so inappropriately._

_-G  
_

He looked up in Hermione's direction, but he couldn't see her face behind the wall of soft chestnut curls that blanketed her profile. Frustration bubbled up inside of him. Turning over the parchment, he scribbled a note of his own.

_-G_

_I__ was asleep, for the last bloody time! I probably thought you were a pillow.  
After all, you do have a few extra pounds of "fluff".  
_

_-M_

Malfoy smirked. He knew that would piss her off immeasurably. Sure, he may not call her "mudblood" anymore but that didn't mean he didn't get a thrill out of angering her. Folding the note into a paper swan, he sent it flying over to her desk while the Professor's back was turned.

He observed her as she read it. She straightened up at the written words, and when she turned to glare at him, he saw the unadulterated fury burning in her eyes. He had struck a nerve. Of course, Hermione was naturally thin, gaining only a couple pounds as she developed over the years, but perfectly content with her size eight figure nonetheless. However the issue of weight always seemed to be a touchy area with women. He knew he was walking on eggshells with her, but the passion that she emitted when enraged was just too good and tempting for him to resist.

He watched as she viciously shredded the parchment into pieces before pulling out her wand and setting fire to the mound of confetti with a small burst of flames from the tip. A bit surprised at her actions, he gaped at her momentarily, not expecting such a dramatic reaction. Being the Malfoy that he was, having the training that he had from his father, he quickly wiped his face clean of all emotion just in time to receive piercing looks from Wonder Boy and Weasel King.

"… I expect two rolls of parchment from all of you on the magical maladies of the thirteenth century by the end of the week. And don't forget to name your references, especially you Mr. Goyle. Class dismissed." Professor Binns concluded.

Tossing his belongings into his book bag hastily, Malfoy practically leaped up from his desk and tailed after Hermione. He watched her back as she linked arms with Dumb and Dumber and headed toward the Great Hall for lunch. Keeping his distance from the Golden Trio, he pursued them stealthily. He watched Hermione break from them and round the corner in the direction of the girl's loo.

Not a second later she was in his view again as he followed her into the washroom. She was standing with her back to him, bent over the sink, her hands submerged in warm, soapy water. He placed himself behind her, not making a sound, the noise of water pouring out from the faucet drowning out the steady rhythm of his breathing. She turned the squeaky faucet off and looked up at the mirror.

She saw that her refection was not the only one in the mirror, but Malfoy's emotionless face was there as well, staring unblinking into her reflected eye. Gasping loudly and nearly screaming, she turned on her head swiftly, but… where was he? He was there in the mirror not a moment ago. A hand tapped her on the shoulder, and this time she did scream. A high pitched yelp burst out of her mouth as she turned around so quickly, that she spun herself into his chest.

"Looking for me?" He asked coolly. Her eyes narrowed as she met his gaze, and she felt herself relax slightly. She wasn't going crazy after all.

"Malfoy, what are you doing here? This is the girl's loo, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Don't ever do that again." He said, as if he hadn't heard what she had said.

"Don't what? Tell you that you are trying to relieve yourself in the wrong lavatory?" She snapped back smartly. He smirked evilly.

"Don't ever scream in my ear like you did this morning, or next time I may not be so nice about it." He threatened.

"Nice? I would hardly use that adjective to describe any aspect of you, Malfoy. So next time instead of calling me fat you will tell me my chest is too small or my hair is too frizzy? Oh! What about my teeth? Would you like to take a stab at them too? Ha! I forgot… you already did that." Hermione retorted. Malfoy's smirk only became even more malicious if possible, and she felt his hand reach out and touch her hip. She gritted her teeth and stared him down.

_What in the bloody hell does this prat think he's doing?_

The hand glided over her stomach, and began it's ascend upward. Their eyes locked. He was smirking, she was near snarling, but both were waiting for the other one to be the first to do something.

_Deep breaths Hermione, he's just testing you. Don't. Back. Down._

He moved it up to her right breast and gave it a gentle squeeze. Hermione was now seething.

"I'd say your chest is just the right size, Granger." He drawled huskily.

_So that's what he wants… well I can do that too. I think_.

Hermione slipped her hands under his robes and hooked her fingers around his two front belt loops. Smirking to match his own, she roughly pulled his hips into hers, bucking them slightly for added effect. She heard him give a tiny gasp, and her smirk turned to a wicked smile. She was just about to go for his robes, when the door to the loo was opened.

Hermione pulled him into the nearest stall and bolted the door. The sound of two girls chatting as the freshened their hair and makeup was merely background noise for Hermione. She pressed on. Her hands swiftly undid the clasp of his robes, and they fell to the floor in a puddle of fabric.

"Is someone in here?" One of the young girls from outside the stall asked. Clearing her throat, Hermione replied.

"Oh I am just changing my robes. I spilt some pumpkin juice on the earlier. Don't mind the clothes."

"Oh, okay." The two girls continued their conversation about whether it was true that Hannah Abbot had really slept with Ernie McMillan.

Hermione turned to Malfoy once again and pulled him forward for a chaste kiss. Yanking his shirt from his pants and unbuttoning it at record speed; she hung it over the door of the stall. Malfoy opened his mouth to protest something, but Hermione placed a finger over his lips and shook her head, indicating to the girls outside. Pulling her own shirt over her head, she watched gleefully as his eyes widened in lust at the sight of her in her pale lavender bra. Capturing his mouth again, she blindly felt around for his shirt. She grabbed it and pulled it on.

_Now for those pants... Oh this is so bad!_ She thought gaily. She unzipped his trousers and unsnapped the button, and in one fluid movement she had them (along with his boxers) down about his ankles as he struggled to kick them off without breaking their embrace.

Hermione stepped back and allowed herself to look him up and down. There was no use lying, the boy had a lot to be proud of, that was for sure. Picking up his robes, pants, and boxers, she whipped out her wand.

"Granger what are you doing?" His hand instinctively went to cover himself.

"Petrificus totalus." She said eloquently. Malfoy was frozen, eyes wide, mouth open, hands over his pride and glory, looking scared out of his little blond mind. Straitening her skirt and buttoning up _his_ shirt, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Is everything ok in there?" One of the girls asked. Just as the question left her lips, the door was unbolted to reveal Hermione smiling proudly, clothes slung triumphantly over her shoulder, sauntering out of the loo stall.

"Have fun girls. See you later Malfoy. _All _of you…" She nearly skipped out the lavatory, unable to keep from smiling.

_I didn't think he would actually fall for that one. I guess it just goes to show what part of their anatomy boys think with._

Meeting back up with Harry and Ron in the Great Hall for lunch, she was ravenously downing the last bit of her turkey sandwich when she noticed that there seemed to be a stir in the hall, especially among the females. At each house table, girls were leaning over to hurriedly whisper in each others ears. Girls were holding their sides, doubled over in laughter. They were choking on bits of food, and spraying fellow classmates with pumpkin juice as wild tales spread like a wild fire.

Hermione Granger had lured Draco Malfoy into the girl's loo, taken off his clothes, _then left him hanging_. It was not long before their eyes turned to her, innocently gobbling down her lunch, waiting for conformation. Could it really be true? Hermione Granger was definitely not the type to pull pranks or break the rules, but she sure did have a nasty temper. Once she realized that everyone was waiting for her to do something, she calmly wiped her hands on her napkin, and rose from the Gryffindor table. Marching up to the entrance of the Great Hall, she stood in front of her impatient audience. Rummaging through her book bag, she retrieved the clothes she had stuffed in there not long before. Pulling out the pair of dark green satin boxers, she held them high above her head.

Gasps echoed throughout the hall. It was true.

"Up for grabs." Hermione let the article slip past her fingertips, turned on her heel, and strolled out of the hall, sounds of scraping chairs and frantic stampedes behind her.


	10. Revenge, I say!

_ZZZZZZZZZZZ... pink ponies... ZZZZZZZZZZZ... I'm a pretty, pretty princess... ZZZZZZZZZZ... no, not the cauldron cakes! ... ZZZZZZZZZZZ... _

"That was a big mistake you made Granger." Said a deep, husky voice.

"_I don't wanna be a mouse..._" ZZZZZZZZZZZ...

"What in the bloody hell are you going on about Granger?"

"_But I don't like cheese..._" ZZZZZZZZZ...

"Granger! Wake up you dolt!"

Hermione's eyes snapped open and she tried to sit up, startled, but was even more so when she realized she couldn't move. She found herself staring into the cold and currently angry, eyes of Malfoy. She took a minute to take in her surroundings.

_My room, check. My bed, check. My clothes... _She wiggled around a little bit beneath the weight of Malfoy's body that covered her. She could feel the soft cotton fabric of her bedclothes brush against her delicate skin. _Check. Now why is Malfoy on top of me?_

"That was probably the stupidest thing you have ever done in your entire life, Granger. Well, aside from becoming friends with Scarhead and his wanna be side-kick."

"Malfoy, pardon my frankness will you, but what in the _hell_ are you doing in _my _room, at bloody two o'clock in the morning?" Hermione asked groggily, not happy at all to be awoken at the ungodly hour, much less by a very disgruntled Slytherin. "And why are you on top of me? Get off, you poncy wanker."

Malfoy sneered and let out something that sounded like an angry growl.

"If I were you, _Hermione_, I would be very, _very_ careful around me right now." He said dangerously. "Do you know where I have been for the last _seven_ hours? Hmm? Do you? Well let me tell you. I was _petrified_ in the girls' loo, naked as the day I was born, getting my dignity, and not to mention my reputation, ripped to shreds as wave after wave of giggly girls came in to gawk at me. And do you know what they had with them Granger? Do you?"

Hermione fought hard to restrain herself from laughing in his face at what he seemed to think was a very serious matter. She shook her head.

"They. Had. _Cameras_." His face came closer and closer to hers with each word. That was too much for Hermione, and she let her laughter ring out freely, to Malfoy's great displeasure.

_Cameras? I want copies!_

"Well Malfoy, congratulations. You now know what it feels like to be the butt of everyone's jokes. Literally." She laughed at her own joke, highly amused with herself. He let her laughter die back down to a content sigh before he cleared his throat rudely.

"Oh yeah, you're still here. Right, well as fun as listening to your empty threats has been, I really must be getting back to sleep now, I have a Transfiguration exam tomorrow. Goodnight." She gave him a quick kiss on the mouth before snuggling further into the covers and closing her eyes.

"Oh no you don't! Granger, you don't get it, I want revenge! I want to get you back for- Granger! Stop sleeping! My threats are not empty! Hey-" Frustrated that she couldn't even get peace in her own room, Hermione raised her head and grabbed the back of his head, crushing his lips with hers and shutting him up.

_Well it isn't sleep, but at least its quiet._

Temporarily forgetting his anger, Malfoy pushed Hermione deep into the mattress, his body weighing on hers, and her head being driven into the pillow by his passionate kiss. Not a second later, their mouths were open and tongues were tangling feverishly. The blankets and sheets that had kept Hermione hidden were being shoved down and fell in a tousled heap at the foot of the bed. Rolling herself on top of him, Hermione straddled his hips, her hands placed on his (now clothed) chest. Malfoy smirked.

"Oh no you don't. The last time I let you be dominant I ended up petrified in front of a toilet with no clothes." He said, pulling her back down on her back. "Not that I would mind you riding me, of course." He added with a sexy grin. Hermione scoffed.

"You wish Malfoy. You know, it was that same attitude that got you into trouble last time. If I were you I would learn to control that libido of yours." He moved slightly south to her neck, and said between delicate kisses,

"Hermione darling, kiss you wouldn't kiss have any idea kiss as to why I saw kiss Millicent Bullstrode kiss sniffing _my_ boxers earlier, would you?" He asked innocently.

"Of course not sweetheart." She replied, matching his tone. The word "sweetheart" felt foreign on her tongue, especially since the two weren't dating. She felt his hands suavely make their way up her shirt for the second time that day.

"Yes," He said cynically. "You're innocent, I'm a sweetheart, and Snape's hair isn't greasy." They both grinned madly before falling into another lusty snog. Where had the shy, timid, little bookworm Hermione gone? And who was this new outgoing, prank-pulling, sexy young woman? Neither one of them knew, but the most logical explanation is that all the time spent with the Prince of Slytherin was beginning to wear off on Hermione. And the odd thing about it all was that she didn't mind one bit. Well, as long as none of her friends found out, of course.

Hermione was finally able to negotiate with Malfoy. She would give him a back massage if he would let her be so she could sleep.

"Mmm yeah right there. Uh huh a little harder... good... oh yeah now a bit to the right... mmmmm..."

"Malfoy, I've been massaging your back for twenty minutes. It's time for you to uphold your end of the bargain." Hermione said sleepily. She was leaning over him, a knee on either side of his body, about to fall asleep on the spot.

"Mmm."

"Malfoy did you hear me?"

"Granger, if you wanted me to listen to you then you should have thought about that before you rendered me bloody deaf in both ears." He mumbled into her pillow.

"Fine." She huffed. "Be that way, see if I care." She climbed off of him and settled herself next to him on the bed, her back facing him and her eyes to the wall. "Nox." She commanded in a disgruntled voice. The light from her wand that she had been using as a lamp flickered out. Malfoy smirked into the darkness. He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her to him in one swift movement, but received no protesting complaints from the exhausted Gryffindor Lioness. Putting his lips up to her ear, he whispered softly,

"Thanks Love, sleep well." Hermione groaned.

_Why must he always be nice when I'm too tired to take advantage of it?_ Rolling over, she faced him and snuggled into his firm chest. His grip on her only tightened, bringing her smotheringly close. Hermione was asleep in a matter of seconds, it now being close to 3:30 in the morning.

Malfoy kissed her lovingly on the forehead.

_Of course you care, Hermione_. He thought. _Or else you wouldn't be here right now_. He sighed softly. _My silly little Gryffindor... what am I going to do with you?_

* * *

"Granger, get up, you're going to be late for class." Malfoy said unenthusiastically, nudging her shoulder in an attempt to wake the sleeping girl.

"Mmmmmnnggghh…" Was the incoherently aggravated reply from Hermione.

"Really Granger, get out of bed. You've already missed breakfast, are you aiming to miss Potions as well?"

"Mntotions knanh hkis mhey harse."

"What was that?"

Hermione groggily lifted her head from the pillow. "I said, potions can kiss my arse. Tell them I've got the painters in." She let her head fall back down with a satisfying 'plop'. "It's your fault I'm this tired anyways, you kept me up at ungodly hours to do pointless things."

"You've got the what's in?"

"My little red flag is flying."

"You have a flag?"

"There's trouble at the mill."

"What?"

"I'm riding the cotton pony."

"I don't see any bloody ponies anywhere!"

"My friend is coming to visit."

"I told you to keep Weaslette away from the dorm!"

"I'm surfing the crimson wa – Oh for Merlin's sake Malfoy you dunderhead! Just tell them I'm on my bloody period and leave me the hell alone!" Hermione furiously yanked a pillow over her head and tried to pretend that she wasn't dealing with such a clown. Hermione could feel Malfoy's presence by the side of her bed still, so hesitantly she peeked one eye out from under the fluffy confines.

"What now?" She asked, wanting only to succumb to her fatigue.

"What's a period again?"

Hermione dug her face into the mattress and screamed.

_If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. I swear, the incapableness of men..._

In the end, Hermione had marched down to the infirmary herself, still clad in her wrinkled pajamas with not a combed hair on her head, and dealt with Madam Pomfrey directly. Now, she was charging back up to her dormitory armed with a muscle relaxing potion and a vial of sleeping drought. Of course the muscle relaxant would be saved for a time when she was _actually_ menstruating, but the sleeping potion would be well received and would ensure no disruptions whatsoever on her mental health day. Nor wind, nor sleet, nor Snape could stop her from wasting the day away in bed. It was a hard earned and well deserved day off for everybody's favorite over-achiever.

Slipping back into the dorm room unnoticed, Hermione made a gleeful dive for her unmade bed, and giggled delightfully when she found that it was still a bit warm from when she left it. Malfoy had gone to class along with the rest of the students in the castle, leaving her in peace and quiet. Uncorking the vial of sleeping, Hermione drank half of it and then replaced the cork and tucked it into a shallow drawer in her nightstand. She smiled contently to herself, rather pleased to have everyone off her back for a while. She, with some help from the sleeping potion, fell into a deep and wondrous slumber, making up for (and plus some) the hours that she missed during Malfoy's mini midnight tirade.


	11. If Voldemort Were Here

When Hermione woke the next morning, she was pleased to see that Malfoy had left her at one point during the night. Rolling clumsily out of bed she stumbled towards her bureau for a clean uniform. Dressing herself, she then quickly ran a brush carelessly through her hair, and was out the portrait hole on her way to the Great Hall in less than ten minutes. She was not one of those girls who spent hours getting ready by any standard.

Flopping onto an empty spot of bench at the Gryffindor table, she helped herself to a hearty serving of porridge. The Great Hall filled rapidly shortly after she had arrived, and she observed the yawning students as they entered, dragging their feet. It wasn't long before Ron and Harry walked in, and when they did she waved them over.

"Morning 'Mione." They said in unison, both sleepily staring at their empty plates before they began to slowly fill them. As Ron's eyes drooped heavily and he nose-dived into his eggs, Harry turned on Hermione.

"Mione, you aren't hiding anything from us, are you?" He asked, a curious expression plaguing his face. Hermione had to clamp a hand to her mouth to prevent herself from projecting her pumpkin juice across the table.

"N-no of course I'm not Harry. What—why, would you think that?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I don't know, it just seems like you've been more reserved lately, that's all." He said. "But if you say nothing's wrong, then I believe you." He took a bite of toast as she took another swig of juice. "I mean, it's not like you're doing anything crazy, like snogging Malfoy or anything." He laughed at the idea. This time, Hermione couldn't catch herself in time, and she spat out her pumpkin juice, right across the table, on Ron.

Ron jerked awake, eggs and saliva polluted juice dripping from his face.

"I didn't do it!" he yelled, still half dreaming. Harry offered him a napkin.

"Here mate, I think you could use this." Ron accepted the napkin and mopped his face with it, removing what gunk he could.

"I'm sorry about that Ron." Hermione said bashfully. "It was an accident."

"Oh, no worries 'Mione, I was going to wake up sooner or later, better sooner before I snorted a bit of egg or something." Ron said before blowing his nose noisily into the napkin. Hermione stood and smoothed her skirt down.

"Well I'm off, I'll see you two later." She started to walk down the aisle between the tables but she could not help but notice that her skirt and blouse felt a bit tight.

_Hmm, I must have eaten too much at breakfast_. She supposed, and kept walking towards her first class, Advanced Muggle Studies. Today they were going to be able to go on a thing called a 'computer' that teenage muggles were particularly fond of, and Hermione was excited.

Her first class passed quickly, but when she stood up to walk to the potions dungeon, she began to worry. Her clothes were now pinching at her body, and the waist band of her skirt was digging uncomfortably into her lower abdomen while the buttons of her blouse looked as if they were about to pop right off. Plus, if it could get any more humiliating, her knickers where tightening as well! And very painfully so.

_What is going on with me! What is happening to my clothes?_ She thought, panicked. Rushing into Snape's classroom and dropping into her assigned seat next to Malfoy as quickly and inconspicuously as she could, she tried to cover herself in her cloak. She had finally thought she was safe, at least momentarily, under her cloak and behind her desk, when the button that held her shirt closed on front of her breasts snapped off and rolled under the desk in front of her. Malfoy smirked, highly amused, from the spot next to her.

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath.

_This is NOT happening. I don't even know what is causing this, so it CAN'T be happening_. She thought hysterically. _Oh that's it! I'm getting out of here_!

Hermione stood, cloak wrapped tight around her body, and turned towards the door. She took one step and smashed into someone's chest. Hermione could tell by the wretched cologne and starchy robes that this was not the person she wanted to bump into right before leaving class unexcused.

Snape.

"Going somewhere, Miss Granger?" He drawled in his slimy, unpleasant voice, attracting the attention of the class. She looked up at him, and prayed to Merlin that he would be in a good mood for once.

There is no way that I could possibly be getting any bigger, so it for sure has to be my clothes that are shrinking. _How did- who did this to my wardrobe?_

"Sir, there is something wrong with my clothes and I need to-" Snape interrupted her mid-sentence.

"Aww well isn't that touching, a real tear jerker Miss Granger. Sit in your seat, you aren't going anywhere." He brushed past her to the front of the class.

"But Professor! I need to leave before-" This time it wasn't Snape that interrupted her, but she wished that it had been. Hermione cringed horribly at the loud ripping sound that came from under her cloak. Hermione's panties, now about as small as a little girl's knickers, fell to her ankles in a tiny, torn heap. The potions dungeon erupted into uproarious laughter, including a few unapologetic Gryffindors. Hermione blushed scarlet, her face so red and heated that it was quite possible that she could explode at any moment.

Hermione felt someone move beside her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Malfoy stoop to pick up the frayed panties. After giving them a quick look-over, he allowed them to dangle from his finger.

"Up for grabs." He said, not even trying to hide the laughter behind his voice.

_That-that-that… PIG! That pompous bastard!_

She snatched them from his slack grip and balled them up in her tightly clenched fist. Enraged, she turned on him, forgetting momentarily that she was still under the scrutiny of all the seventh year Gryffindors and Slytherins.

"You are a despicable, perverted, e-evil… poncy, slimy, de-death eater to be Draco Malfoy! And I **HATE** you!" She was seething so much that she had to struggle to get her words out. They kept coming viciously though. "SO the next time you even _THINK_ about coming near me you dastardly brute, you can just take the same advice I would give to Voldemort if he were here, and **_GO TO HELL!_**"

Her livid expression bore into him as she huffed and puffed, but his eyes showed no inkling of remorse for embarrassing her in front of two houses and her least favorite professor. From the seats behind them, a Gryffindor boy spoke up from the heavy silence that had fallen on the room.

"Hey Malfoy," He whispered hurriedly. "Paper or plastic? Because you just got bagged!" A few of the surrounding muggle-born Gryffindors snickered to themselves, but Malfoy, not understanding what he meant, retorted,

"Shove off you insolent brat, before I make you!"

"Miss Granger!" Snape pointed to the door.

"Oh don't even say it! Twenty points from Gryffindor and go see Dumbledore. I know! Don't you worry, I would be _glad_ to go see the headmaster!" She shot Malfoy one final glare before stomping off as quickly as she could without exposing herself even further.


	12. Hermione's War

Hermione fled for her bedroom, running as if her life depended on it. Shouting out the password to the portrait hole, she stepped in, and taking the stairs by twos, burst into her room, the door slamming loudly in her wake. It took a moment of struggling to get out of the tight binds her clothes had turned into, but once she was free, she pulled on layers of clothing to conceal herself as much as possible. Stretch pants under jeans, camisole under tank top under long sleeves under a huge baggy sweater, all under her Hogwarts robes.

Angrily stomping down corridor after corridor, she finally arrived at Dumbledore's office.

"Butterbean." She said coldly. Her access granted, she continued to the professor's solid oak door. She lifted a hand to knock, but no sooner had her hand left her robe pocket did the door open by itself, revealing a not so happy Dumbledore inside.

"Hermione, please," he motioned to the vacant plushy chair before his desk. "sit." Hermione allowed herself to collapse in the easy chair with a satisfying "oooph".

"Now Hermione," he began. "I have known you for quite some years, and I have been fortunate enough to get to know you on a much personal level than many professors can get to know their students. At this point in time, I have come to consider you as my friend, and it has been a pleasure watching you learn and grow." He paused and gave a soft smile. "However, I never did think I would see the day that you were sent into my office for disciplinary reasons. I do not know what has jumped inside you that made you lash out at your potions professor and fellow classmate, but I must indicate that I do not approve of it at all. I know that Professor Snape can be somewhat…"

"Sleazy?" She volunteered.

"…unmerited, so I would like to hear what you have to say before any action is taken."

"Malfoy shrunk my clothes." She said plainly.

"Well, Hermione, I understand clothing is very important to females, however that does not warrant a-"

"While I was wearing them." She added.

"Ah." He said, reconsidering what he was supposed to do about these two quarrelling students.

"I was exposed, humiliated in front of half the seventh year class and one professor, I was forced to remain in class by said professor, and when my dismissal was not granted, I left, because if I had stayed only more of myself would be exposed. Oh yes, and Malfoy also picked up a very _personal_ item of mine and made a public mockery of it."

Dumbledore cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well Hermione, while I understand your reasons to believe him guilt of this little misdemeanor, there really is no proof that it truly was Mr. Malfoy that cast a spell upon your clothes. And as for the, ah… undergarment issue, I can assure that he will be talked to by the head of his house and a reasonable punishment will be given. However, while we are on the topic of indecent exposure, I believe Mr. Malfoy experienced a rather uncomfortable moment as well. Now, should you choose to confess to being the mastermind behind that rather cruel joke, then I can certainly summon Mr. Malfoy in here and attempt to prosecute him. Is that what you want, Hermione?"

Hermione sighed, angry and defeated. "No, sir."

"Well," Professor Dumbledore clasped his hands together and set them on the desk in front of him. "I believe that settles that. A lecture for Mr. Malfoy on respecting his peers, and unless you would like to join him in that meeting with Professor Snape, then I suggest you go about you day, Hermione. And please child, keep your hands clean."

Hermione nodded, understanding what he meant by keeping her hands clean. She stood and let herself out. As she walked down the chilly corridors, she got some amused glances from her passing classmates, and even the occasional giggle. Pulling the robes tighter around her body, she hurried through her portrait hole to the Head's common room. The chill that was covering her earlier was pushed away by the warmth of the room from the roaring fire. The room was empty, just how she liked it. Her afternoon classes could wait until tomorrow, because there was no way that she could face everyone after the recent display in potions. Pulling a thick book from the bookshelf against the far wall, she curled up on her favorite lounge nearest the hearth and opened it to the first page and began reading.

Outside, a storm was brewing. It started with a trickle of soft, dewy rain, and then steadily gained force. By the time Hermione had reached the fifth chapter, the rain was pelting the castle wildly while the strong winds whipped at trees with mighty force. Inside, the fire that Hermione was huddled before began to flicker.

A loud clap of thunder shook the castle just as Malfoy stepped through the portrait hole. Hermione looked up at him and glared.

_Did I just fall into a terribly cheesy muggle horror movie or something?_ She thought spitefully. Snapping her book shut, she nearly leapt from her warm seat and stomped up to her dorm, tossing him a look of pure hatred on her way. Malfoy simply smirked at her behavior.

"It looks like the Gryffindor Princess can dish it out but she can't take it!" he shouted up the stairs to her. There was a splintering slam as she swung the door shut with all her might.

_Well she has to come down some time._ Malfoy thought optimistically.

The next morning at breakfast, Hermione was still not speaking to, or going anywhere near, Malfoy. She had risen from bed earlier to avoid him on her way down to the Great Hall, and she written to Dumbledore asking permission to not be seated next to him in potions anymore, since it "…caused problems to arise and personalities to clash." He granted her wish, and told Snape to place her in a different seat. Now she sat next to Goyle, but Goyle was not Malfoy, and that made her happy.

"Morning Mione." Harry greeted her politely.

"Morning Harry." She looked at the person standing beside him. "Good morning Ron."

"Morning." He mumbled. He seemed off for some reason, his pale skin clashing with his red hair more so than usual.

"Have you seen the morning post yet Hermione?" Harry asked grimly. She shook her head and she handed her his copy of The Daily Profit.

_"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named strikes again killing four members of the Ministry of Magic and seven muggles. The names of the Ministry officials have not been released at this time, but are expected to be submitted to the press in a few days. The bodies were found within one hour of each other, spanning from-"_ Hermione gulped and hurriedly glanced at Harry before continuing. He was sitting with his head in his hands, not touching his food. _"Spanning from Godric's Hollow to the old Riddle manor. Investigators believe this to be a sign directly from the Dark Lord himself by leaving a trail of beaten and-"_ Hermione's voice faltered at the words. _ "…beaten and horrifically tortured bodies. The victims each had the dark mark carved into their forearms, and had been stripped of all Ministry paraphernalia including, but not limited to: badges, scarves, robes, and official Ministry identification. Family members of Ministry workers are advised to be on high alert and to never go out alone, particularly at night. Tightened security has been placed over all wizarding businesses and schools, and until the investigation has come to a close, all wands are subject to examination at any given moment. The Ministry's heart goes out to all of the friends and families of the victims and offers their sincerest condolences."_

Hermione set the paper down gingerly. Her mind was in turmoil, stuck somewhere between anger, fear, and sadness.

"Harry…" She said softly, reaching across the table to touch his hand. He recoiled abruptly.

"No. It's me that he wants. I wish he would just come and fucking attack me instead of killing innocent people first! They did nothing! And they died because of m-"

"Oh come off it Harry! They died because You-Know-Who is a sick, mental prick, it has nothing to do with you! You didn't kill them, HE did! And there was nothing you could have done to stop it, either." Ron interrupted him so that he couldn't finish his sentence.

"He's right Harry. You're the only reason that our world has a fighting chance, and that it had peace as long as it did. If it hadn't been for you who know what kind of world we would all be living in right now? Actually, we probably wouldn't be living at all." Hermione added.

"I'm going to bed." Harry said standing up.

"Mate, it's eight o'clock in the morning." Ron pointed out.

"I know." He walked towards the exit. Ron shrugged.

"I just don't know what to do with that one anymore, Mione."

"We just have to be patient with him Ron. He'll come around." Hermione said. _I hope…_ she added as an afterthought to herself.

Classes passed with an unsettling quickness that day, which only added to the frightening feeling that the peaceful times were running out. After dinner, Hermione was reclining in her favorite chair in the common room when Malfoy came in. To full and sleepy to get up and go upstairs, she remained seated, facing him for the first time since that one potions class. He smirked when he saw her.

_Don't mess with me Malfoy… not today. I could not possibly hate your slimy, no-good arse any more than I do right now-_

"Well, well, well. The Gryffindor Princess has come out of hiding I see."

_What's with this whole 'Gryffindor Princess' thing? I'm not being called that behind my back, am I?_

"It's a good thing that you have finally stopped running from me. I've missed…" he paused as he looked her up and down. "… well I've missed certain parts of you." Walking over to where she sat in the chair, he leaned forward as if he was going to kiss her. Their eyes met, and suddenly Hermione felt dangerous. She knew she only had an allotted amount of time until she would explode. She no longer felt sleepy and hazy. It was as if someone had flipped the switch inside her, and now she was ready to fight.

He reached a hand out to gently touch her lips with his thumb. His other hand rested on her knee, holding him steady as he leaned forward.

"What a pity about those poor wizards in the paper, eh? A terrible shame." he said, the insincerity dripping off of his every word, making a mockery of the truly sad situation.

_Bastard._

"I didn't think it was possible for you to disgrace your family name any more than it already is, but congratulations Malfoy, because you just did."

"Ah! She speaks! How lovely of you to grace me with that voice of yours, Hermione." He said, feigning surprise.

"I don't believe that we are on a first name basis, Malfoy. Remove your hands from me this instant."

"Be careful with your words, Granger. The way you talk could easily give someone the impression that you are an old maid."

Hermione seethed. Her face was heating up, and the fire behind her eye had been lit. He continued stroking her cheeks.

"Now what happened to that feisty lioness inside of you that couldn't get enough of my touch?"

"She was a fool, and now she's dead. I said; get OFF of me NOW Malfoy."

"No! Now why can't we just get along, like old times? You remember... the Trophy Room. Why the constant war between us?"

"Why!" Hermione cried. Shoving him away she stood up, then took a step back. "Do you really have the nerve, the tenacity, the indecency to ask that question when you know bloody well why?"

He crossed his arms and smirked. "Yes, I believe I do. Tell me Granger, what makes your side better than mine? Tell me, before you go running to Saint Potter, why won't you just admit you've lost and come snog me like I know you want to?"

"Do you want to know why this **WAR** will never end, Malfoy! Do you! It's because you **KILL** innocent people, and you **HURT** the people you love, and you are forever doomed to be a** WORTHLESS**, cold being with no heart. You have sold your **SOUL** to a life that isn't real, but merely **EXISTS**! Your jokes are not jokes but only a small glimmer of the **EVIL** power you possess! There is no use hiding it Malfoy! **WE** are the war! You and I! I fight for the light, but you will never make it out of the darkness. In due time I will meet you on a bloody battlefield and what will I do! Will I freeze, wand in hand, and think twice about killing you! No! I won't! I will **NOT** put the lives of the ones I love in danger, I will **NOT** put them into **YOUR** hands just because I couldn't stay loyal to my side. Just because I couldn't turn my back on someone who means **NOTHING** to me…" Her head bowed as she took a deep breath. Her voice was now hoarse.

"This **CANNOT**, and **WILL NOT**, continue. There is a war going on, people are dying in numbers that grow by the day, by the hour. Look outside this castle we live in Malfoy! Just look at it! We are wizards and witches, killing **OUR OWN KIND** because Voldemort can't seem to quench his thirst for power, and blood. My blood, your blood, Harry's blood, Ron's blood, Dumbledore's blood! We are a dying breed, Malfoy. Killing muggle-born and half-bloods will only speed up the process, and I for one am **NOT** going to sit around, and snog the Dark Lunatic's right hand man-in training! You are being taught to **SERVE**, Malfoy, not to lead. Therein lays the difference between us. You are taught to be loyal, and I am born with it running through my veins. You will never succeed in Voldemort's crazed plan, because just when you begin to relax, and just when you think it's over, it will be **ME** holding that wand to your neck, just as I did in the third year. Just don't question my motive, because the next time I take aim at you, Malfoy, it will be with the intent to **KILL**."

Her voice was deathly cold, and Malfoy stood with his arms no longer folded cockily, but hanging limp at his side, his face pale and colorless, and it was then that Hermione saw it for the first time. It was only there for a moment, it did not linger, but she was sure that was it.

Fear.

Fear and regret in the eyes of Draco Malfoy. No doubt he would go running to his father to tell him exactly what she had said, and what she had threatened, but to see that look of remorse cross his face was the most satisfying thing she had felt in many years. Fear… in Draco Malfoy. She thought she'd never see it. Fear of a muggle born. Fear of Hermione Granger.


	13. Malfoy's Rebuttal

Hermione and Malfoy just stood and stared at each other. Hermione was breathing heavily, out of breath from all her yelling, and Malfoy's face was still blank, shock and confusion hidden under a strong façade. Hermione looked down at her shoes and turned away from him, towards the fire. There was nothing left to be heard but the crackle of the burning logs in the fire and the last bit of the howling wind blowing through from the storm. Hermione lifted a hand to her temple and massaged it, trying to stop the ringing in her ears and the throbbing in her head.

"You don't know, the first _thing _about me, Hermione. Not the first." He said in a low, firm voice. She turned to face him again. Her rage had settled and she was ready to lie down and sleep now, but she sensed that he was only just beginning.

"Living under my father, has been no walk in the park, Hermione. It has not been all sunshine and daisies, or happy birthdays, or cauldron cakes! It was never, _'Come sit on daddy's knee Draco'_ or_ 'Come and read a book with your mum Draco'_ . It wasn't like _that _at all!" His voice was building in volume and tremor.

"No! It was full of secrets, and lies, and death. It was _'If you go near my office I will kill you before you can say "I'm sorry"!'_ and _'If you don't win you are no son of mine!'_ . You just don't say NO to dark magic! You don't just say 'Sorry, not interested.' to the Dark Lord! So what do you do if you're not interested? You **become** interested. You learn to love it, and YES Hermione, you learn to **SERVE!** Why? Because if you want to fucking live then you learn, and you obey, and soon enough, it becomes all that you know! It becomes your life, and it consumes you until you can't even remember the days that you dared to think of denouncing it! It's not like you can just wake up one day and think, _'Hmm, I think I'll be a servant to the Dark Lord today.'_ No! It is something you are born into, and die out of. The day you stop being loyal to him is the day that you die. It's that simple."

"So you're saying that you don't like being on the dark side, that you want to denounce You-Know-Who? Honestly, how in Merlin's name do you expect me to believe that load of rubbish?" Hermione asked scornfully.

"I never said I didn't like it. It is truly fascinating; however, you do not understand the seriousness of it. All of you 'DA' members or whatever that shit is called; you all think that I have everything I want at the snap of a finger. That all I have to do is write one letter to my father and it will come by express post the next day. Those are petty things, Hermione. They aren't for me; they are to make me look better in the eyes of others, and ultimately making my father look like top dog. His expenditures cover my mistakes. There is not a single blunder that I can not pay my way out of."

"Tell me something I don't know Malfoy. And how did you find out about the DA?" He smirked at her pungent curiosity.

"Like I said, there is not one thing that I can't put a price on."

"But- but the charms, the traitor charms..."

"I've got connections at St. Mungo's. The boils were cured before anyone had a chance to see them. Are you beginning to get it now?"

"No, but who was the traitor?"

"That is not of your concern Hermione. Do you understand what I'm saying? My life is prearranged. It has been intricately mapped out since before my conception, and I have a house, an arranged marriage, and a seat next to the Dark Lord waiting for me the second I graduate from Hogwarts. Really, there is no reason why I should rebel against it. I'm set for life. All the money I could even want and all the power to go with it. The only thing that stands in my way is that annoying brat Potter. He can be taken care of easily, and then all that remains is what to do with _you._ " He looked closely at Hermione.

"You look confused." He said.

"I am. So, let me see if I have this straight... You don't like Harry because he blocks your path to becoming your father? And you are just using You-Know-Who so that you can become powerful?"

He shrugged. "Yes, that's basically it."

"And you are willing to die for that? You are willing to kill for that?" There was quiet for a moment while he pondered her questions.

"The way I see it, sooner or later I am going to die by his wand, either because I am too old to serve him properly anymore, or because he is displeased with me. Now I might as well enjoy all the perks of being one of his most trusted, don't you think? And all those people I may have to kill, well, they probably deserved it anyways."

"No! Those people are innocent bystanders that your 'Dark Lord' kills for the fun of it! And what do you mean, 'too old to serve him properly'? There is no way for him to become immortal, Dumbledore destroyed the Sorcerer's Stone years ago!" Hermione cried out.

He tapped his head. "You are forgetting that dark magic works in mysterious ways, my dear Hermione. It holds the power to do things that normal wizards never even dreamed were possible."

Hermione shook her head. "Bullocks, I don't trust your words one bit, Ferret."

"Aww, there is no need for name calling. Please..." He walked over and joined Hermione in front of the fire. "Call me Draco." She raised her chin defiantly.

"I will not."

"And why is that? I call you Hermione now."

"Yes, but that is because you want to manipulate me into sleeping with you."

"Oh, but you've already slept with me. What I want is to make love to you." He said, he voice like silk.

"We have already discussed this Malfoy, you have no heart, and you know nothing of love, so what makes you think for one second that you could show me love and compassion? Honestly, I would like to know." She rested her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side, waiting for him to answer.

"You need to give me a chance to know love. I need you to love me, to teach me to love again." Hermione couldn't help it, she burst out laughing.

"Malfoy-"

"Draco." He corrected.

"Malfoy, have you been reading my muggle romance novels or something? How much did you pay a poetic Hufflepuff to write that line for you?"

_Damnit! That no good third year said that line was a guarantee!_ he thought furiously.

"Wha-? No! I came up with that myself! I mean every word of it!"

Managing to suppress her laughter, Hermione said, "If, speaking hypothetically, you and I ever were together, you do realize that You-Know-Who would kill you faster than he would if he suspected you of being disloyal, don't you? Why risk it? You said yourself that all you wanted to do was go along with his stupid plan for world domination so that you could have the perks."

"Hermione, a Malfoy can talk his way out of anything. If they were to ever find out anything, I would just tell them that I was using you for a lousy shag and information on Potter."

"Oh, so you would tell them the truth then-"

"No, I would tell them the-"

"Malfoy-"

"It's Draco." He corrected again.

"Malfoy, where do you think that all this leaves us? On what terms are we on? Well, let's just skip down memory lane for a moment, shall we?" Malfoy looked at her dumbly as she spoke.

"Last month, you snogged me in the Trophy Room for some unknown reason while we had detention together for something that, coincidentally, **you** started. Then, not a week later, you scared the magic out of me by shoving me against a wall of an empty corridor and demanding that I admit I had feelings for you. By some odd working of Merlin, I let you get away with your manipulative ways by luring me into the same Trophy Room multiple times until I was knocked back into my senses, and I very nearly destroyed my relationship with one of my best mates because of you. Then recently, your juvenile prank that left me dreadfully bare in front of half of our year and the professor you know despises me has been the icing on a very rancid cake, Malfoy. After all that, do you honestly think for one second that I would want to spend one minutes with you, let alone a romantic one at that?" She crossed her arms over her chest as she finished.

"Yes." He said confidently with no hesitation.

There was a pause while Hermione thought of what to say next.

_There is just no escaping this bloke, is there?_

"Well I'm sorry you feel that way Malfoy, because you are gravely mistaken."

"Am I?" He smirked.

"Yes." She said firmly.

"You're sure?" He asked.

"Yes. Positive." She assured.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Okay then." In a flash he had her in his arms and was kissing her. To his great delight, there was no sign of a struggle whatsoever. His hand behind her head held her to him so that in case she snapped out of it mid-snog, she couldn't pull back, and his other arm was linked around her waist, allowing very little moment possible on Hermione's part. A moment later, he released her and stepped back.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he smirked. "Yes, it really is too bad you don't feel that way Granger. Wow, you sure told me." He said sarcastically. Her face turned a very angry shade of red.

"You scum!" She shouted.

_Scum? Merlin I'm so dense. Why didn't I call him something worse?_

He laughed at her, shaking his head softly. "Goodnight Hermione. And remember what I said, there isn't a single thing I can't put a price on."

Later that evening as Hermione was changing for bed, she reached into her robe pocket to make sure there was nothing in it before she tossed it into the laundry, and when she withdrew her hand, two shiny galleons gleamed in her palm.

_Draco Malfoy, _She mentally told him._ Screw you._ She hurled the coins across the room and they hit the wall with a loud CLANG before falling to the ground.


	14. A Deal with the Devil

Draco Malfoy heaved himself off of his bed the next morning, squinting at the bright sunlight pouring into his room and absentmindedly scratching his chest with one hand, and ruffling his hair with the other. Yawning, he shuffled out his door with the intent to go get himself a cup of tea, but no sooner had he stepped through to the corridor than two hard, cold objects hit him in the face.

"Bloody fucking hell that hurt!" He opened his eyes up wider and looked up. Hermione stood at the other end of the short hall, hands angrily placed on her hips and her lips pursed in frustration.

"_Bloody fucking hell..._ yes that is exactly what I was thinking, because that is exactly what you are! You are hell to live with! I don't want your dirty money Malfoy, and I certainly don't need it. I am perfectly well off financially thank-you-very-much and I wish you could just have the tiniest bit of respect for me Malfoy, instead of trying to make me feel like a two galleon slag!"

"Merlin, you are NOT a morning person, are you?" he asked, rubbing his ears.

"Don't you dare try and change the subject Malfoy."

He sighed, really not wanting to deal with her fiery attitude in the first five minutes that he had been awake.

"Mione, all I want is a cup of tea and _The Daily Prophet_. Can't this wait till later?"

"That is not your nickname to use! Only my friends call me that," she snapped viciously.

"Fine. Hermione, all I want is a cup of tea and _The Daily Prophet._ Can't this wait till later? Is that better?"

She shifted uncomfortably on the spot. "I... I guess."

"Good." He brushed past her and walked down the stairs that led to the common room lazily.

"You know Malfoy," Hermione called to him. "It isn't polite to walk around in your boxers in front of people."

"I'm not walking around in my boxers in front of people. I'm walking around in front of you."

"Oh, so I'm not considered a person?" Her voice was beginning to rise again.

"No, you're a person; but you said people. People is plural, and unless Potter is dancing around in his little invisibility cloak again, I'd say it's just the two of us."

"Erh! Why must you be such a damn smart aleck?"

"I don't know, maybe it has something to do with your compulsive need to be right all the time." He sat down on the loveseat by the fire drinking his tea and skimming over the newspaper.

"I do not!"

"Denial is not just a river in Egypt, love," he said, not bothering to look up at her.

"That was possibly the worst come back I have ever heard. But I am surprised to hear you say it, since muggles say it all the time."

"Is there a point to this?" he asked.

"A point to what?"

"A point to you standing there watching me read as if something interesting is going to happen any second."

"I wasn't, I was just-"

"Staring at my body? Yeah, I know. You haven't taken your eyes off me since the second I sat down."

"I-I wasn't! It is polite to look at people when you are talking to them."

"Is it polite to throw coins at them too, or is that just a special perk package that is reserved for me?"

"I hate you. I really do."

"Yes and the Weasel isn't poor as dirt."

"Well he's not actually, it's just that they try and conserve-"

"Don't waste your time trying to defend your ridiculous little friends Mione, you could be doing much more valuable things with it."

"I told you I didn't like it when you called me that!"

"Well I told you that I didn't like being called Malfoy when I have a perfectly decent first name, so we're even!"

Hermione threw herself into the seat next to him, her arms crossed and her eyebrows furrowed. He went back to his paper, and she just began to stare and the floor.

He held his mug out to her. She looked at it for a moment, and then accepted it. After taking two small sips, she handed it back.

"You didn't put any sugar in it, did you?"

"I like it bitter."

"Clearly."

"Yes."

There was another pause between the pair.

"You still aren't wearing clothes."

"I know."

"Aren't you cold?"

"No."

"Oh."

"Yep."

Silence.

"I'm still mad, you know."

"I know."

"And I meant it too, if it ever came to that, and I had to, I would."

"Had to what?"

"Kill you."

"Oh."

"I would."

"So would I."

"Well that's a bit mean."

"What!"

"I'm a girl."

"So!"

"Well, you said you would kill me! I'm a girl! Boys just don't kill girls!"

"The Dark Lord does!"

"But he's a sick bastard. That's different."

"So you're saying that I'm not a sick bastard?"

"Yes. You're a greedy, conceited prick with an ego the size of Europe, but Voldemort takes the cake."

"Aww, Mione I think that's the nicest thing you have ever said to me." He put his hand over his heart and batted his eyelashes.

"For the millionth time, DON'T call me Mione."

"Don't call me Malfoy."

"I-"

"Say it."

"No, I don't want to."

"Say it Mione." She cringed.

"Don't call me that... Mal- Dr... Dra- Oh do I really have to?"

"Yes." Hermione sighed.

"Please don't call me Mione, Draco." He grinned broadly.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it Mia?"

"Eeerrgghh!" Hermione stood and stomped her foot on the ground. Draco put his mug of tea down and stood up as well so that they were almost touching.

"I can't win with you, can I?" She asked.

"Well, you can try and you may win a few, but this will not be one of them."

"Merlin, that really sucks." She touched her forehead to his chest. Pulling her closer, he whispered into her ear.

"Don't worry Mia, my sexiness makes up for it."

"I still don't like you very much."

"I know."

"And I'm not going to sleep with you."

"I know."

"And if you say one bloody word to anyone I'll skin you alive in your sleep."

"I know."

"No more sticking money in my pockets. You need to respect me."

"I know."

"And you can't shag other girls on the side."

"I kn- wait... I can't?"

"No."

"Fine. Are we in agreement then?" He pulled back and stuck his hand out.

"I'm not shaking that. It would be like making a deal with the devil himself."

"Alright, then. I'll just have to settle for this." Draco slipped a hand around Hermione's middle and pulled her into a soft but lustful kiss.


End file.
